( CNN ) -- Al Qaeda 's north African wing has released an audio message from an Italian man whom it says it has kidnapped and has set a 25-day deadline for the Italian government to meet its demands . The message was accompanied by a still photograph , posted on Islamist Web sites , showing a bearded man kneeling in front of a group of six armed and masked men . The group , Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb , says the man is Cicala Sergio . The group says it has been holding the man and his wife for two months . The audio message , dated February 24 , urges the Italian government to meet the group 's demands in 25 days -- although it was unclear what those demands are . `` If you want to guarantee the safety of these two Italian captives , you need to pressure your government and urge them to respond to the legitimate demands , '' the statement said . CNN could not immediately determine the authenticity of the message . In June , Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb executed a British man after the British government did not give in to its demand to release Abu Qatada , a Jordanian considered to be al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden 's right-hand man in Europe . The group began life as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat with aspirations to overthrow the Algerian government . Around 2004 , it joined forces with al Qaeda and extended its reach across North and West Africa . CNN 's Saad Abedine contributed to this report .
The group , Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb , says man is Cicala Sergio . It was unclear what the group 's demands were . In June the group executed a British man after UK refused to release Abu Qatada .