A reporter, a photographer and a camera crew member of the Joint Media Team Malaysia (JMTM) were kidnapped Saturday morning, Abdullah was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.

The kidnapped journalists were New Straits Times photographer Anuar Hashim, Radio Televisyen Malaysia camera crew member Omar Salleh and The Sun reporter Terence Fernandez, Abdullah said.

The journalists were covering work by the Malaysian Medical Relief Society when they were ambushed by a group of gunmen.

Two doctors were injured and an Iraqi interpreter was killed in the attack.

It was not known why the journalists had been captured.

"We will do whatever is necessary to get their release," Abdullah said when asked if he would ask for the United States' help.

The Malaysian government had paid for 30 local journalists to cover the war in Iraq because of the perceived bias of Western media.

SPACE.WIRE