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Colleague tells of Iraq kidnap shock

Mr Sooden, a 32-year-old Canadian citizen who has been studying at Auckland University, was kidnapped in Baghdad on November 26 along with Briton Norman Kember, American Tom Fox and Canadian James Loney.

The previously unknown Swords of Righteousness Brigade threatened to kill the men if the United States and Britain did not release detainees in Iraq by December 10.

A videotape showing the hostages released at the end of January reiterated the demand and the threats but gave no deadline.

Greg Rollins, a Canadian member of CPT in Baghdad at the time of the kidnapping, said on Canadian international news website Embassy that the kidnapping shocked his group.

The group, which promotes non-violent alternatives to conflict, was aware of the risks of being kidnapped, injured or killed but did not dwell on them as this created fear, Mr Rollins said.

But on November 26 he was informed by his translator that four of his colleagues had been kidnapped.

"At first I thought it was a joke," he said.

"I asked our translator to repeat what he said. When I realised he was serious, I informed the team and we went straight to work."

The next two weeks were a blur of phone calls, meetings, interviews and writing statements.

"The videos that the abductors made of our colleagues and aired on TV broke our hearts, but made us glad to see our friends were alive and looking well. It gave us faith."

Then came the waiting. The video statements from the kidnappers stopped. There were fewer statements of support. We grew restless; we grew tense," he said.

"Again, we refused to dwell on the risks of our work. We refused to live in fear," he said.

In the New Year Mr Rollins' time in Iraq ended, but he left with mixed feelings, not knowing the fate of his colleagues.

"My family and friends are important, but after the kidnapping everything else in Canada pales in comparison," Mr Rollins said.

"I already know that the people near to me in Canada are safe. I can't say the same about my four kidnapped colleagues. Knowing that made it hard to leave."

Earlier this month Mr Sooden's sister in Auckland said her brother had been in Iraq just a week when he was kidnapped.

"He was always interested in making people safer," Ms Brewer said.

"But that was one of the first times he's done something so hands-on."

Ms Brewer said the latest video brought mixed feelings - she was happy to see her brother alive but disappointed he was still in captivity.