Al Jazeera television said on Thursday an Iraqi group had killed an Italian hostage who appeared in video footage aired by the Arabic channel.

"A group called the Islamic Movement of Iraqi Mujahideen announced that it had killed an Italian hostage called Salvatore Santoro," the Qatar-based broadcaster said, showing footage of Santoro with a blindfold and a gun pointed at his head.

The group read a statement in the tape accusing Santoro of working for the United States, Al Jazeera said. Images of his passport showed an Iranian tourist visa.

The channel said it obtained the videotape from the Associated Press.

The Italian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it was investigating a claim by an Iraqi photographer who said militants showed him the body of a man of the same name together with an Italian passport.

It said neither the Italian embassy in Iraq nor the Foreign Ministry had a record of a Salvatore Santoro in Iraq, and the report should be treated with caution until confirmed.

Italy has been shaken by several hostage dramas in Iraq. Journalist Enzo Baldoni was seized and killed in August and security guard Fabrizio Quattrocchi was murdered in April.

Two female Italian aid workers were kidnapped in September but released after three weeks raising speculation a ransom had been paid.

Source: Agencies