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Al-Qaida has released a video showing an American hostage saying he will be killed if President Barack Obama does not meet the militant group's demands.

Monitoring groups said al-Qaida's media arm posted the nearly three-minute video of Warren Weinstein on jihadist forums Sunday.

Weinstein directs a message at Obama, saying, "If you accept the demands, I live; if you don't accept the demands, then I die."

He also tells his wife he is in good health.

Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri said in a December video that Weinstein would not be released until the United States halts its airstrikes in Muslim countries. He also demanded the release of al-Qaida and Taliban prisoners.

The 70-year-old Weinstein was snatched from his home in Lahore, Pakistan last August after eight gunmen overpowered his security guards. He served as director in Pakistan of a U.S.-based development consulting company, J.E. Austin Associates.

The official policy of the United States government is to make no concessions to individuals or groups holding official or private U.S. citizens hostage, including ransom, policy changes and prisoner releases. The United States also says it will every appropriate resource to gain the safe return of hostages.

Article by VOA News