LONDON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- A TV station based in the United Arab Emirates broadcast a video of a man who identified himself as one of five Britons taken hostage in Iraq last year.
The recording broadcast in Dubai depicts a man who identified himself as Peter Moore calling on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to free nine Iraqi prisoners in exchange for his release as well as the release of four other British hostages, the BBC reported Tuesday.
"All I want is to leave this place. I tell Gordon Brown the matter is simple: Release their prisoners so we can go," said the man on the recording, whose identity was confirmed by his employer, U.S. consulting firm BearingPoint, CNN reported.
"It's as simple as that. It's a simple exchange of people. That is all they want -- their people and we can go home," he said.
Moore was captured alongside four bodyguards in Baghdad on May 29, 2007, ITN reported.
The British Foreign Office criticized Dubai's al-Arabiya network for releasing the video.
"We condemn the release of videos such as this, which are greatly distressing to the families of those involved. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time," the office said in a statement. "We urge those holding the group to release them immediately."
