Austrian hostage captors seen extending deadline

LONDON (Reuters) - An Islamist group holding two Austrian hostages in the Sahara has extended by two weeks an ultimatum for its demands to be met, a U.S.-based service which monitors Islamist Internet forums said on Monday.

The SITE Intelligence Group said Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb extended the deadline until April 6, adding that it was a final ultimatum.

The group has demanded freedom for 10 militants held in Algeria and Tunisia in return for releasing the pair.