Iraqi militant group Army of Ansar al-Sunna said on Thursday it had abducted and killed a Briton and a Swede in the central Iraqi city of Beiji, according to an Internet statement. "The lions of the faith of Prophet Mohammad were able to ambush and kidnap two agents - a Briton and a Swede - working for the intelligence agency of the infidel forces in Beiji and God's law was enforced by killing them," said the statement which was posted on an Islamist Web site.
The statement, whose authenticity could not be immediately verified, did not say when the ambush took place.
A British Foreign Office spokesman said they had no details on the claim. The Swedish Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of any Swede dead or missing in Iraq and was checking the claim.
A Briton and an Iraqi were killed on Wednesday in an ambush while travelling in a convoy near Beiji. Their employers confirmed a third foreign national was missing.
The US military said on Thursday that a Brazilian was missing following the attack in Beiji, but could not confirm reports the Brazilian was kidnapped.
Army of Ansar al-Sunna said it would issue details about its attack soon. "We thank God that he enabled us to get the heads of spiteful crusader infidels and those supporting them, the apostates, agents and spies. This is a new harvest of rotten heads of the infidels," the statement said.
The group has kidnapped and beheaded several Iraqi soldiers and foreign workers, including 12 Nepalese men. It has also staged attacks at symbols of the US-backed Iraqi government and vowed to disrupt national elections planned on January 30.