US military not aware of any missing soldiers despite capture claim: official

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (AFP) - The US military is not aware that any of its soldiers are missing but is looking into a claim that a US soldier was taken hostage in Iraq, a US defense official said Tuesday, as doubts emerged about the claim.
A photograph posted on an Islamic website along with the claim purported to show a soldier seated on the ground with a gun pointed at his head. The figure in the photograph appears stiff and expressionless.
"We're not aware of anyone missing right now," the defense official told AFP. "Having said that we're looking to confirm that no one's missing. Until that's complete it would be premature to comment."
Several Internet bloggers pointed out the similarities between the soldier in the photograph and an action figure known as "Cody," from Dragon Models USA Inc.
A spokesman for the company did not immediately return calls seeking information about the doll.

02/01/2005 22:27 GMT - AFP