Seized Italian reporter 'not spy'

Daniele Mastrogiacomo is married with two children

An Italian newspaper editor has rejected Taleban claims that journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo, kidnapped in Afghanistan, is a spy.

La Repubblica editor Ezio Mauro said his writer had no intelligence links.

The Taleban said on Tuesday that it had captured an Italian journalist and two Afghan nationals.

A source close to the Islamist group told the BBC that they were seized for travelling in Helmand province without permission, and were accused of spying.

Mr Mauro said in a statement that Mastrogiacomo, 52, "has no relationship whatsoever, neither with military organisms nor with police or intelligence services of any kind or country".

"He is in Afghanistan... exclusively and solely in order to write news reportages," he added.

The two Afghans were named as Ajmal and Syed Agha.

Both are known as translators who work with Western journalists.