Italy investigates report about captive's killing

ROME (AP) -- The Italian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it is investigating a report that an Italian citizen was killed in Iraq after being taken captive by a militant group.
In a statement, the Italian Foreign Ministry said the report was unconfirmed and that it "must still be verified with maximum caution."
The ministry said the details were provided by an Iraqi journalist, who told The Associated Press he was taken by militants to see a body near the battleground city of Ramadi. The journalist said he was shown a man's body and passport.
The ministry statement said the victim may have been Salvatore Santoro, 52, a resident of Britain for years. However, it said Italian officials were not aware he was in Iraq.
"Mr. Santoro's alleged presence in Iraq was never communicated in any way to our embassy nor to the foreign ministry," the statement said.
The Iraqi journalist, who did not want his name used for security reasons, told AP that armed militants stopped him on a road between Ramadi and Fallujah and handed him a statement.
The group identifying itself as the Islamic Movement for the West of Iraq's mujahedeen said it was announcing the killing of an Italian citizen. A letter requesting a visa in the name of Santore Salvadore was found near the body. There was no explanation for the difference in spelling or the reversal of the first and last names.
The journalist said that more than 30 fighters then took him to a deserted area near Ramadi to take photos of the body.