According to CNN, a source has relayed information that the three Romanian journalists held hostage in Iraq are still alive despite the captors’ insistence they would be killed without a suitable negotiation for their release. The time period in which this group demanded negotiations take place expired yesterday.

Romania had appealed to the abductors to extend a Wednesday 1600 GMT deadline by which they would kill the three unless the staunch U.S. ally withdrew its 800 soldiers from Iraq.

The government has not said whether it would pull out despite increasing public pressure and calls by the opposition to save Prima TV reporter Marie Jeanne Ion, 32, cameraman Sorin Miscoci, 30, and Romania Libera daily journalist Ovidiu Ohanesian, 37.

“The three are alive and Romanian authorities have asked for the early release of Marie Jeanne Ion, hoping for sensitivity because she is a woman,” a source close to the Romanian authorities involved in solving the crisis told Reuters.

As I’ve said here before, I believe this to be a kidnapping for ransom and that the intention of this group which took the quartet hostage does not want to kill them. That said however, it still does not mean the group will not sell the hostages to a terrorist group which could execute them for propoganda purposes.