BAGHDAD - US forces know who kidnapped three American soldiers a week ago in central Iraq and have information that at least two of the captives may still be alive, their top commander in Iraq said Saturday.
General David Petraeus told the Army Times in an interview posted on the private US weekly`s website that an informer had revealed who masterminded the May 12 attack, in whcih three GIs were snatched and four killed.
"Somebody`s given us the names of all the guys that participated in it and told us how they did it... Now, we have to verify that at some point in time, but it sounds spot on," he said.
While Petraeus did not name the gang responsible for the attack, he described its leader as "sort of an affiliate of al-Qaeda". The Sunni insurgent group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.
According to the Army Times`s account of the interview, which took place on Friday, Petraeus has also had news of the fate of two of the hostages.
"As of this morning, we thought there were at least two that were probably still alive. At one point in time there was a sense that one of them might have died, but again we just dont know," he told the magazine.
Thousands of US troops are scouring a region of palm groves and farming communities south of Baghdad hunting for news of the three men -- Specialist Alex Jimenez, Private Joseph Anzack and Private Byron Fouty.
The captives were part of a small patrol that was ambushed on Saturday in Qarghuli, just west of Mahmudiyah.
05/19/2007 17:46 GMT