The family of a British civil engineer kidnapped in Iraq this week with two Americans issued a plea today for his release.
"It's hard to understand why Ken would be targeted in this way, but we would appeal to those who have taken him to please return him safely to us," they said.
Unidentified gunmen took Mr Kenneth Bigley, a 62-year-old father-of-one, and two US colleagues from a house in an affluent neighbourhood of Baghdad yesterday.
The three were the latest in a nearly six-month campaign of abductions of foreigners in Iraq.
"We were devastated to find that Ken had been taken, and we are still struggling to come to terms with what is happening," a family statement added.
"We've spent the last few days since we were told drawing strength from each other to try to deal with Ken's disappearance ... Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of his two work colleagues too, who must share our distress."
The family issued their statement via Britain's Foreign Office and appealed for the media to respect their privacy.
Mr Bigley is based in the Middle East as an engineer for the Gulf Supplies and Commercial Services company, the Foreign Office said. According to a US State Department Web site, the firm has a contract with the US army.
Mainstream British Muslim groups, many of whom opposed the US-British invasion of Iraq, echoed the family's call.