24/09/2004

Efforts to free Ken Bigley stepped up with leaflet drop

Efforts to free British engineer Ken Bigley from his kidnap ordeal in Iraq have been stepped up today with the distribution of 50,000 leaflets containing a personal appeal from his family.

Organised by the British Foreign Office, the leaflets have been handed out in the Mansour district of Baghdad – the area from where Mr Bigley and two US citizens were snatched from eight days ago.

Mr Bigley, 62, was seized, along with Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley, by the Tawhid and Jihad group which is led by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Mr Armstrong and Mr Hensley were beheaded on Monday and Tuesday.

The terror group has demanded the release of all women prisoners in Iraqi jails. However, the UK and US governments have ruled out any possibility of negotiating with the kidnappers.

The leaflet states: "This is a personal appeal from a family whose son is missing. A family man called Ken Bigley is being held somewhere in your community. We are Ken's family. Ken's mother, brothers, wife and child love him dearly.

"We are appealing for your help. We appeal to those who have taken him to return Ken to us. Do you know where Ken is? Do you have any information about his whereabouts? Show mercy."

The three detainees were the latest among more than 100 foreigners who have been abducted in Iraq over the past 17 months by insurgents.

(gmcg/mb)

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