A British journalist has been seized in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. His captors are threatening to kill him if US forces did not pull out from Najaf in 24 hours, according to witnesses and a video tape. About 30 armed men, including some dressed as police, stormed the Diyafah Hotel in Basra on Thursday, said police captain Hashim Abd Allah. Hotel owner Muhammad Uglah said the attackers found James Brandon, a journalist for The Sunday Telegraph, and shot him twice in the leg before taking him away. Hours later a video tape released in the city showed a hooded captor standing next to the journalist and threatening to kill him if the attack on Najaf was not stopped. **Threat*** "We demand the American forces withdraw from Najaf within 24 hours or we will kill this British hostage," the captor is heard as saying. "I'm a journalist, I just write about what is happening in Iraq...," the visibly shaken and bare-chested captive said. The British Foreign Office said it had unconfirmed reports that a British national had been kidnapped in Basra. "We're trying to establish the facts and are working with the local authorities and trying to contact next of kin," the department said. **Response*** In Britain, the Sunday Telegraph was pursuing reports that James Brandon, a journalist who had written stories for the paper, had been seized. "James Brandon was in Basra filing material for this Sunday's newspaper amongst other projects," Sunday Telegraph Deputy Editor Matthew d'Ancona said. "We are pursuing his situation with the greatest concern." He could not confirm that Brandon had been taken captive A spate of kidnappings have occurred in Iraq in the last few months aimed at driving out individuals, companies and troops supporting US occupation forces and the new Iraqi interim administration. While some captives were freed, nine have been killed so far. **PHOTO CAPTION*** A commuter reads the Sunday Telegraph. (AFP)