Here.Australia had activated a contingency plan approved by cabinet's National Security Committee following reports that two Australians had been taken hostage in Iraq, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.
Mr Downer confirmed that part of the plan was to have hostage negotiators on standby, but said that did not mean the government would negotiate with terrorists.
"We do have a contingency plan in the event of this happening and we put that contingency plan in place some months ago," he said. "We are now activating that contingency plan ... of course in the context of us not knowing whether Australians actually have been taken hostage or whether this is a hoax."
Mr Downer said the use of police hostage negotiators did not mean the government would give in to terrorist demands to withdraw from Iraq.
"We would obviously in the circumstances where Australians were taken hostage try to get those Australians released," he said.
"We're not going to go into the details of what methodology we would use to do that.
"We will not be making concessions to terrorists." Mr Downer said there were many different ways to try to get any hostages released, but would not go into details.
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It was a good sign that those claiming to have kidnapped two Australians in Iraq had not released the names of their alleged hostages, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
A statement released by the Horror Brigades of the Islamic Secret Army said two Australians had been kidnapped and gave Australia 24 hours to end its involvement in Iraq or the hostages would be executed.
Mr Howard said the Department of Foreign Affairs was yet to verify whether a kidnapping had actually occurred, or whether it was a hoax, but said in past kidnapping cases, the names of those held had been released and their passports displayed on television.
"It's one of those dreadfully worrying things that every effort will be made to nail down and verify as soon as we can," Mr Howard told Adelaide radio station 5DN.
"It's encouraging that the people have not been named, because often when hostages are taken they carry their papers with them and therefore they can be identified.
"Often in the past passports have been displayed on television, so that is encouraging.
"On the other hand, there are a lot of people working in security, private security firms, in Iraq, and not all of them may be registered with the Australian embassy and perhaps not everybody who has been registered has been capable of being contacted.
"We're encouraging relatives to get in touch with their loved ones to establish that they are safe.
"If they want any assistance they obviously should get in touch with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"As I speak we still can't say that it's correct.
"This organisation, I'm told, has a reputation for having in the past been involved in kidnappings, but also in the past being involved in hoaxes, so at this stage it is intensely worrying."
Mr Howard said a group which called itself the Horror Brigades of the Islamic Secret Army was "crazy enough and evil enough, more importantly evil enough, to do something like this".
He also said the decisions by Spain and the Philippines to withdraw their troops from Iraq after having terrorist attacks committed against them encouraged more attacks by terrorists.
"There's no doubt that if terrorists think they can get a reaction by doing something they'll do it again, there's no doubt about that," he said.
"I don't want to go back over old ground in relation to Spain and the Philippines, but the truth is you do not buy immunity from conduct of this kind by giving in.
"That is why we were unhappy about what happened both in relation to Spain and the Philippines."
Earlier, the Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said all of the 88 Australian civilians registered with the Australian embassy in Baghdad had been accounted for.
Checks had also been conducted with four companies that employ Australians.
Three companies were satisfied with their checks but one company had expressed concerns and was carrying out a re-check, Mr Downer said.
The statement from the group warned: "One of our brave brigades ambushed civilian cars belonging to the American army on the motorway from Baghdad to Mosul.
"It took four prisoners - two Australians and two east Asian nationals who were working as security contractors for important people.
"We tell the infidels of Australia that they have 24 hours to leave Iraq or the two Australians will be killed without a second chance.
"The prime minister must announce the withdrawal personally if he is concerned about his two citizens."
The Australian consular emergency centre can be contacted on 1300 555 135.
I'm rather worried about this.