BERLIN, March 16 (Reuters) - An Iraqi man whose German wife is being held with their son by an Iraqi Islamist group appealed to the kidnappers on Friday to release them.

The little-known group, The Arrows of Righteousness, has threatened to kill the two hostages unless Germany withdraws its 3,000 troops from Afghanistan. The German woman, Hannelore Marianne Krause, is married to an Iraqi physician.

"Please continue to treat my wife and son with respect and honour," the husband said in a video released by German broadcaster ZDF on its website, according to a text of his remarks translated into German.

The husband, who identified himself as Mohamed al Tornachi, said Krause, who he referred to as Um Mazin, moved to Iraq 40 years ago.

"We are a family that has no influence over political decisions. So I appeal to you: Free my wife and my son," Tornachi added.

The son's wife also appealed for the hostages to be released: "I plead with you, free my husband and my mother-in-law," she said.

The kidnappers released a video last week showing Krause weeping with her son and appealing to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to meet the kidnappers' demands.

Germany, which opposed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, has around 3,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO force stationed there since U.S.-led troops toppled the Taliban in 2001 for harbouring al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The German government has said it is working intensively to try to secure the hostages' release but will not be blackmailed.

More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been kidnapped since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Most foreign hostages have been released but at least 60 have been reported killed by their captors.

AlertNet news is provided by