19/10/2004

British-born Care worker kidnapped in Iraq

A British-born woman who heads a charitable organisation in Iraq has been kidnapped in Baghdad this morning.

A video showing Margaret Hassan in the hands of her captors has been broadcast this afternoon on the Arabic-language news service Al Jazeera. It is not yet clear which group carried out the kidnapping.

Mrs Hassan, who holds a British passport and an Iraqi passport, is Care International's country director in the country. She has lived in Iraq for more than 30 years.

In a statement, the charity said: "As of now we are unaware of the motive for the abduction. As far as we know, Margaret is unharmed. She has been providing humanitarian relief to the people of Iraq in a professional career spanning more than 25 years.

"Needless to say, we are doing whatever we can to secure her release… Our overwhelming concern must be for Margaret’s safety."

The British government has expressed its concern and pledged to do all it can to secure Margaret Hassan's release.

Today's kidnapping comes 11 days after the 62-year-old Liverpudlian engineer Ken Bigley was beheaded by a group led by Abu Musab Al Zarqawi.

(gmcg)

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