Black Flags, the Iraqi group which set a deadline of 2030 IST on Friday for killing the first of the seven truck drivers -- three of them Indians -- they are holding hostage, have offered to put off the threat for a day.

According to sources in New Delhi, Black Flags said on Friday afternoon that it wanted to the Indian embassy in Baghdad to post a clear message on local Arabic television channels that no Indian national would work for Kuwaiti firms that assist American and Coalition forces in Iraq.

If such a message was posted immediately, Black Flags said it would not kill the hostages.

M C Pandey, first secretary at the Indian embassy in Baghdad, is expected to arrange for the telecast.

Black Flags said it would convey another demand to the Indian government after the embassy posts the message on local television channels.