Militants in Iraq are claiming that a British hostage held for almost a year has committed suicide.

The claim came in a video message passed to a Sunday newspaper from a group purporting to have seized five Britons in Baghdad in 2007.

The video also features footage of one of the men - named only as Alan - pleading with the Government to take action to allow him to return home to his family in Scotland.

The Foreign Office has said it has no independent verification of the claims in the video and cannot comment on their veracity.

But Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that the video, and a letter from the hostage takers, would cause "deep distress and concern to the families of the five men".

In a statement, he condemned hostage taking as "a disgusting crime which is never justified".

The five men - an IT consultant named Peter Moore and four bodyguards whose identities have not been confirmed - were kidnapped from the Iraqi finance ministry by a Shi'ite group who are demanding the release of prisoners from American detention.

The video features a statement claiming that one of the men - named only as Jason - killed himself on May 25 this year, four days before the first anniversary of their abduction.

The others are understood still to be in captivity.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown raised the case of the five hostages with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on his surprise visit to Iraq.

The statement passed to the newspaper, signed by The Shi'ite Islamic Resistance in Iraq, accuses the British Government of failing to respond to messages from the kidnappers and their captives.

"This procrastination and foot-dragging and lack of seriousness on the part of the British government has prolonged their psychological deterioration, pushing one of them, Jason, to commit suicide on May 25," the statement said.

"He surprised our brethren, who were taking care of him, with his suicide."

The hostage known as Alan, understood to be a father-of-two from Scotland, was shown on the film saying: "Physically, I'm not doing well. Psychologically, I'm doing a lot worse. I want to see my family again."

Mr Brown said: "This abhorrent film will only add to the anguish of families who have suffered a great deal over a year for their loved ones who have been kept in captivity.

"I raised this matter with Prime Minister Maliki yesterday when I was in Iraq. I have also raised it on a number of occasions not only with the Iraqi government but with the Americans and others who are active in Iraq.

"I call on the hostage takers to release these people who have been held in captivity immediately.

"I will work with the Iraqi government as I said to Prime Minister Maliki yesterday to secure their release, and will do everything in our power to work with everyone who is in a position to help us release these hostages."

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