(yanked from die puny humans)

A group called the Mujahideen Brigades kidnapped three Japanese civilians and say that they will burn them alive in three days unless the Japanese remove their troops from Iraq.

BBC reports that there have been other kidnappings in Iraq recently, one Canadian and two Arabs, as well as seven South Koreans who have been released. These kidnappings coincide with the increased violence that has swept across Iraq this past week.

"The violence has left up to 300 Iraqis and at least 30 coalition troops dead. The US military said on Thursday it had suffered six more combat deaths, bringing the number of US soldiers killed in action since the start of the war to 449."

read the BBC article