Update 19: French Engineer Is Latest Hostage in Iraq

"Masked gunmen grabbed a French engineer off the streets of Baghdad on Monday, the latest in a spate of kidnappings of Westerners that coincides with Saddam Hussein's trial and the run-up to parliamentary elections.

Bernard Planche joined two Canadians, an American, a Briton and a German taken hostage in the last 10 days.

In London, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw encouraged the kidnappers of the Briton to make contact, saying "we stand ready to hear what they have to say."

The British Broadcasting Corp. cited a Western diplomat in Baghdad as saying direct contact had been made with the hostage-takers. It did not name the diplomat."
Forbes

Hey maybe we will get some new headhunters porn video to compensate for all the boring trail coverage?? Maybe not, but anyway, the French should pull thier troops out of Iraq immediately!