IRAQ/BRITAIN: Caged, chained and wearing the orange death suit of al-Qaeda victims before him, the British hostage in Iraq, Mr Kenneth Bigley, appeared in a new video yesterday accusing the British premier of not caring whether his life is saved or his head is cut off by his bloodthirsty captives.
The Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, last night said was doing "absolutely everything" to secure Mr Bigley's release and added, while his captors had made no contact with the government, if they did it would respond.
"They've made no attempt to have any contact with us at all. If they did make contact, it would be something we would immediately respond to . . . We don't know where they are," he said.
He surprised many earlier in the day when he confirmed the behind-the-scenes effort by the Foreign Office to establish lines of communication to Mr Bigley's captors. However Downing Street maintained that there had been no change in policy and that the attempts had so far been without success.
Mr Bigley's son, Craig, last night appealed directly to his captors to free him. "We, as a family, feel that the ultimate decision to release him rests with you, the people who are holding him. We once again ask you, please show mercy to my father and release him."
The video from Mr Bigley (62), broadcast by the Arabic television network, al-Jazeera, showed him looking distraught and desperate as he cradled his head in a hand and begged once more for Mr Blair to save his life.
Mr Bigley's family thanked his captors for the minute-long video as evidence that he was still alive. Late last night, the tape had not been yet seen by his elderly mother, Lil (86), who was hospitalised last week under the strain of the ordeal.
The hostage's brother, Paul, said he believed the tape had been made within the previous 48 hours. Citing emails from the Middle East and a fax from Rome, he said he believed his brother had not been murdered.
Rather, he said the al-Qaeda cell was keeping Kenneth Bigley alive to draw themselves as much international media coverage as possible. "They've had a worldwide coverage that nobody, not any publicity agent, could dream of. I hope they appreciate that fact and eventually release Ken as a reward for that publicity," he said.
The footage shows Mr Bigley looking pale and drawn as he crouches in a small wire cage erected against a grey brick wall. After accusing Mr Blair of not caring about him, he broke down in tears. "Have some compassion," he urged. An Arabic translation of Mr Bigley's pleas by the network meant many of his words could not be heard. According to the voice-over translation, Mr Bigley said the kidnappers did not want to kill him. He then reportedly urged that Iraqi women prisoners held by the US in Iraq be released.
Mr Bigley was seized from his house in Iraq a fortnight ago with two American colleagues, Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley, who were later beheaded.
Mr Paul Bigley told BBC Radio yesterday that his brother was mistaken if he believed Mr Blair did not care about his plight.
"Tony Blair is a gentleman, a father and a Christian. Of course he cares," he said.
Despite earlier intemperate comments about the efforts of British authorities on his brother's behalf, the hostage's brother now said that he did not believe the British government should negotiate with terrorists although he welcomed indications from Mr Blair that attempts were being made to open a dialogue with the gang, which is linked to Osama bin Laden through its ringleader, Abu Masoub al-Zaqawi.
The leader of the Commons, Mr Peter Hain, said Mr Bigley's plight had "consumed" the premier, even as he battled to avoid a potentially damaging vote on the final day of the Labour Party conference in Brighton on a motion demanding a timetable for the withdrawal of British troops in Iraq. Mr Hain said he could "not imagine the horror" Mr Bigley was enduring.