The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord George Carey, issued a video statement on Saturday in which he urged the release of five British men in Iraq by their "honourable" kidnappers.

In the statement, released through The Times newspaper, Lord Carey said, "May I appeal to you as honourable people to release these men who have been away from their families for over one year."

The four guards and one computer expert have been held since their abduction from Baghdad's foreign ministry on 29 May 2007.

"I greet you as honourable men. I greet you as men of faith. I believe, as you do, that faith is important in this broken world," Lord Carey said.

"I appeal to you, as good people, to release these men who long to be back home once more."

Canon Andrew White, the vicar of St George's Church in Baghdad, joined Lord Carey for the recording of the statement.

In his appeal to the captors, the Canon stressed that the five hostages had been helping in reconstruction work in Iraq, which he described as one of the "greatest nations" in the world.

The latest video statement from Lord Carey follows a previous appeal made in December on behalf of the hostages' families, saying, "We love you and miss you very much and want you to know that you are never out of our thoughts."