23/09/2004

Wife of UK hostage issues mercy plea to kidnappers

The wife of Ken Bigley, the British engineer who is being held hostage in Iraq, has made an emotional appeal today for the safe release of her husband.

Thailand-born Sombat Bigley appealed to the terror group to release her husband of seven years who is an "ordinary, hardworking family man who wanted to help the people of Iraq amongst whom he made many friends".

She said: "Thank you for allowing me to see Ken when he made his appeal. I desperately want to be re-united with my husband.

"I plea for your mercy now and beg that you release Ken so that I may be with him again and so that he may also be re-united with his family in England.

"As a loving wife, I beg you once more for mercy."

Mr Bigley, 62, was working as an engineer in Baghdad when he was kidnapped seven days ago. He was seized, along with two US citizens, by the Tawhid and Jihad group which is led by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

The group beheaded both US citizens, Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley, on Monday and Tuesday.

The terror group has demanded the release of two senior Iraqi scientists currently held by US authorities.

(gmcg/mb)

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30 September 2004
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29 June 2005
Bigley family appeals for release of body
The family of Ken Bigley, the British hostage murdered in Iraq last year, have appealed for his body to be released. The 62-year-old engineer from Liverpool was working in Baghdad, when he was taken hostage by Iraqi militant group Tawhid and Jihad on September 16, 2004.
29 September 2004
New footage of UK hostage is released
Footage of the British hostage Ken Bigley has been broadcasted by the Qatar-based news agency Al Jazeera today. During the short sequence, the 62-year-old engineer is sitting squat in a mesh cage. He appears drained and exhausted, wearing an orange boiler suit similar to the kind other hostages have been forced to wear by militant captors.