The Japanese hostages may have been handed to an Islamic cleric, Kyodo News reported Sunday, quoting an informed Japanese lawmaker. 

"The hostages may have been handed over to an Islamic cleric or an influential person," Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Yukihisa Fujita said. Fujita said he was informed by Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Ichiro Aisawa, who is heading a task force in Amman for the release of the three hostages.

Aisawa told Fujita that the kidnappers may have attached some conditions for their release.

There has been no official story about the release.

Earlier reports said the three are expected to be freed by about 3:00 am (1800 GMT) on Monday.

Japanese official denies hostages' release

Japan's Senior Vice Foreign Minister Ichiro Aisawa on Sunday denied that three Japanese nationals taken hostage by a militant group in Iraq had been released.

Aisawa, who heads a task force on the hostage crisis at the Japanese Embassy in Amman, told reporters he "has yet to confirm" the release, whereabouts and safety of the three, Kyodo News reported.

The Arabic satellite news channel Al-Jazeera denied that it reported earlier that the hostages had been released.

The broadcaster reported Saturday that the kidnappers announced the hostages would be freed within 24 hours.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2004)