SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS

Issa Salomi of El Cajon, Calif., was last seen Jan. 23, the U.S. Defense Department said in a statement.

A video posted Thursday on an Iraqi Web site showed a man identified only as an American who was being held hostage. The kidnappers, identified as a Shiite militant group, the League of the Righteous, demanded the punishment of Blackwater guards involved in the 2007 shooting of Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, The Washington Post reported.

The authenticity of the tape had not been verified and U.S. military officials declined to comment on the video.

The League of the Righteous split off from the group headed by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The Post said the kidnapping suggests efforts at reconciliation between the league and the government have stalled.

An Iraqi intelligence official told the Post Salomi, an Iraqi-American, was visiting relatives when he was abducted.

Under the agreement in force in 2007, U.S. contractors were protected from prosecution in Iraq. Charges against the Blackwater guards involved in the 2007 shooting were recently dismissed by a U.S. judge.

 BREAKING STORIES

Hospital ship Comfort returns from Haiti

Obama, Clinton working well together

Smith's estate won't get Marshall money

SeaWorld joins trainer death video suit

Dog DNA leads to man's murder conviction

Officer: Military cuts possible in Iraq

IED threat increases against U.S. troops

Ex is suing Lady Gaga for $35M

Ground Zero responders eyeing settlement

Russia to conduct missile tests

Brits invited to march in Red Square

Federal subpoenas in Ensign investigation

Chained vets protest 'Don't Ask' policy

Pedophile trial against Boy Scouts begins

Co. settles complaint over anti-Semitism

Ten Commandments monument moved

Britain cuts 166 in Cyprus military staff

Payments due to Kilpatrick attorney

McChrystal lays out campaign for Kandahar

Rebel Darfur group agrees to cease-fire