Two more British hostages held in Iraq have been killed by their captors, meaning four of a group of five seized in May 2007 are now dead, an Iraqi official confirmed yesterday.
“Four of the hostages are dead,” Sami al-Askari, a deputy in the governing Shia Muslim alliance who is close to prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, said.
The bodies of two victims were handed over by the captors to the Iraqi government in June, but Mr Askari said it was not clear when the other bodies would be returned. He said all four were killed at the same time.
The fifth hostage, computer engineer Peter Moore, is believed to still be alive. All five men were seized by a Shia Muslim militia group.
A senior Shia source said the two bodies might be handed over, and Mr Moore released, but it depended on a number of issues still in negotiation. The Iraqi government is considering calls to release two militia leaders, the source said.
The four dead hostages were all working as security guards for Mr Moore, who was employed as a contractor.
The families of the five men said in a statement they were distressed to hear the news that two more of them – named as Alan McMenemy and Alec MacLachlan – had been killed.
“We are all deeply upset and troubled to hear the reports that Alec and Alan have died in the hands of their captors, as well as Jason Swindlehurst and Jason Creswell,” they said.
“This is a terrible ordeal for us all. We ask those holding our men for compassion when so many are working hard for reconciliation in Iraq and we continue to pray for the safe return of our men.” – (Reuters)