Missing Dane found dead in Iraq
(CNN) -- A Danish businessman reported missing in Iraq last week and believed to have been kidnapped has been found dead, the Danish Foreign Ministry says.
The man has not been publicly identified and no details about how he died or where he was found were immediately available.
In a statement Wednesday, the ministry said it was informed by the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq overnight that the Danish citizen had been found by Iraq police on April 12.
He was reported missing April 10.
It is unclear whether the man was abducted.
"There are as of now no information on the culprits or motive for the killing," the ministry statement said, adding that an Iraqi police investigation into the death has been made difficult by the present security situation.
The ministry said it had been "working intensely on the case since first being informed of the possible abduction" April 11.
"Various leads were followed, contact with the Sunni Muslim sheikh was one of them. There has been close cooperation between the CPA, the American military and the Iraqi governing council."
Dozens of foreign nationals have been held hostage in Iraq in recent weeks with most of them released.
Currently, at least six people are believed to be held including a U.S. soldier, a U.S. contractor and three Italians. At least six more are reported as missing or status unknown.
Another Italian, Fabrizio Quattrocchi was executed by his captors last week. It was the first confirmed killing of a hostage by militants in Iraq.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Wednesday that the release of the three Italians had been delayed.
He added that he saw no problems over their release.
"There has been a delay but we are not aware that there is any obstacle," Berlusconi told reporters.
