Delegation hoping to meet British engineer's kidnappers
A delegation of prominent British Muslims was expected in Baghdad today as frantic last-ditch efforts to save the life of Ken Bigley, the 62-year-old engineer seized by Islamic militants in the city 10 days ago, reached a climax.
The kidnappers, from a group responsible for dozens of recent bombs and kidnappings in Iraq, are threatening to kill Bigley unless women prisoners held in Iraq are freed, but have set no deadline. The group, known as al-Tauhid wa-al-Jihad (Unity and Holy War), has already beheaded two Americans abducted with Bigley.
Bigley's relatives made fresh appeals for his release yesterday, emphasising the family's Irish roots. Terry Waite, the former Church of England envoy who was held hostage in Lebanon for five years, visited the family at home in Liverpool.
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Jack Straw is believed to have spoken to Bigley's wife yesterday to reassure her that everything possible was being done to secure her husband's release. Bigley's 86-year-old mother Lil, was taken to hospital yesterday suffering from stress.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1313054,00.html
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