It is believed to be Bernard Planche who was taken hostage on the 5th December from his home in Baghdad's Mansour district. He worked in Iraq for a non-governmental organization called AACCESS as an engineer on water treatment projects.

The Foreign Ministry in France demanded his immediate release, stating that "Nothing can justify his being taken hostage" and added that "France will do everything possible to obtain the release of the hostage".

France has no troops in Iraq and has staunchly opposed the US-led war. The only French there are aiding in the security and civil reconstruction of the country.

Two French journalists were also taken hostage in August 2004 but were later released. The German archeologist Susanne Osthoff, who was kidnapped 10 days before Bernard Planche, has also been released. However the Christian peace activists, Brit, Norman Kember, American Tom Fox and Canadians, James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden, who were taken only a day afterwards, have not yet been seen.