7 foreign hostages killed in Nigeria Claims Italy European diplomats said on Sunday that the 7 foreign hostages kidnapped in northern Nigeria had been killed as claimed by Islamic extremists, the worst such foreign abduction violence to hit this turbulent West African nation in decades. Both Britain and Italy said all seven of those taken from northern Bauchi state on Feb. 16 were killed by the group known as Ansaru. Greece also confirmed one of its citizens was killed, while Lebanese authorities did not immediately comment. "It's an atrocious act of terrorism, against which the Italian government expresses its firmest condemnation, and which has no explanation, if not that of barbarous and blind violence," a statement from Italy's foreign ministry read. Italy also flatly denied a claim by Ansaru that the hostages were killed before or during a military operation by Nigerian and British forces, saying there was "no military intervention aimed at freeing