The British Prime Minister Tony Blair this evening insisted he was doing "absolutely everything" to secure the release of hostage Mr Ken Bigley.
Mr Blair said he felt "sickened" by the video showing Mr Bigley chained in a cage. Speaking at the Labour Party conference, Mr Blair added: "I think people know what they are trying to do. I feel desperately sorry for the Bigley family and we are doing absolutely everything we can."
Earlier Arabic television network Al-Jazeera broadcast a fresh appeal from the British in which he pleads with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair to meet kidnappers demands to secure his release.
Mr Bigley, who has been held hostage in Iraq for two weeks, says in the video that he believes his captors do not want to kill him.
The appeals follows claims from Mr Bigley's brother Paul that he had received written confirmation that his life will be spared.
Mr Paul Bigley said a translation of a message purporting to be from the kidnappers had been passed to him offering his family fresh hope. The British Foreign Office confirmed to ireland.comthat it was checking several messages and postings on websites which claimed the hostage could be released imminently.
"We are aware of the websites and are trying to establish how credible they are but it is a complex process," a spokesman said.
Speaking on Sky News this afternoon Mr Paul Bigley said he received an email last night which said his brother would soon be released. He described the email as "100 per cent authentic" and said "it is now a waiting game".
Mr Bigley was seized from a house in Baghdad along with two Americans two weeks ago. Both the Americans have been beheaded.
Agencies