Three Germans kidnapped

Baghdad: Three German citizens working for a German computer company were kidnapped from the Iraqi Finance Ministry in Baghdad, an Iraqi government official said.

The men were kidnapped by a group of gunmen who arrived at the ministry in a long convoy of white sports utility vehicles, which are often used by police, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Police said the lecturers were German and they were seized from their cars outside the ministry building.

No other details were immediately available.