March 31, 2005 - 4:45 AM

Romanians abductees shown in tape in Iraq

By Dina Kyriakidou and Radu Marinas

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - The abductors of three Romanian journalists in Iraq have issued a video of them with guns at
their heads and U.S. officials said an American had also been seized in the same incident on Monday.

The three Romanians shown in the video broadcast by Arabic satellite television Al Jazeera appealed for their freedom.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Steve Pike said: "We can confirm that an American citizen was taken
along with the three Romanian journalists kidnapped in Iraq on Monday."

"We call for the immediate and safe recovery of all hostages in Iraq, including the American citizen and the three
Romanian journalists," Pike said. He declined to give any further information.

A fourth person, whom Romanian media described as the journalists' translator, was shown in the Jazeera video but it
was not known if this was the U.S. citizen.

Jazeera said an unknown group was holding them but made no mention of any demands.

The journalists were seized during a visit by Romanian President Traian Basescu to Afghanistan and Iraq -- where U.S.
ally Romania has sent 800 troops to join the U.S.-led force.

Relatives of the Romanians -- Prima TV reporter Marie Jeanne Ion, 32, cameraman Sorin Miscoci, 30, and Romania
Libera daily journalist Ovidiu Ohanesian, 37 -- appealed for their release.

"I implore you to free my sister," Ion's sister Ana Maria told Romanian television. "She is not guilty of anything."

Miscoci's mother, Elena, also appealed for her son's freedom. "I beg the kidnappers to let him live. He always wanted to
be a journalist, he loved his job but I never realized it was so dangerous," she told the Ziua daily.

While relatives waited for news, the government held crisis meetings.

"Please understand that Romanian state institutions all over the world are moving rapidly to resolve this case," Basescu
told reporters. Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said after a cabinet meeting the government had received no ransom
demand.

ROMANIAN SUPPORT FOR WASHINGTON

In the videotape, Ion was heard to say, in an apparent denial that any ransom was being demanded: "If somebody asked
for something in exchange for our freedom ... this is not true."

The hostages, wearing jeans, appeared in good health. Ion's hair was covered with a scarf. Two armed men, their faces
covered by traditional head scarves pointed guns at them.

"At least they seemed calm and they were alive," said Dan Dumitru, news editor of Prima TV. "I think we are not dealing
with regular bandits. I think these guys are terrorists."

Like other east European countries grateful to Washington for its support in shedding communism, Romania is a strong
U.S. ally that has unwaveringly supported the war in Iraq, providing logistical support and troops.

It joined NATO in 2004 along with neighbouring Bulgaria and both are eager to host permanent U.S. military bases.

Bulgaria, where two-thirds of the population oppose the war in Iraq, said it may pull its troops out by the end of the year.
But Romania has remained committed despite recent opinion polls showing 55 percent of Romanians want the troops to
come home.

The kidnappings appeared to cause no immediate political backlash for Romania's role in Iraq.

Ion managed a quick call to her newsroom before vanishing, where she was heard pleading with her kidnappers to let
them go because they came from a poor country unable to pay a ransom.

Her mother got a text message from her daughter on her mobile, reading: "We're kidnapped. This is not a joke. Help!"