Hostage Bigley murdered in Iraq...

[Leggy Hendrix]

British hostage Kenneth Bigley has been murdered by his captors in Iraq, his family has confirmed.

A video released by militants showed Mr Bigley making a statement before being killed, according to witnesses.

"We can confirm that the family has now received absolute proof that Ken Bigley was executed by his captors," his brother Philip said.

Mr Bigley, 62, of Liverpool, was taken hostage on 16 September by the Tawhid and Jihad group.

It beheaded two Americans captured at the same time.

Philip Bigley said the family had experienced "three long weeks of waiting and three long weeks of agony".

He said Mr Bigley's Liverpool-based family believed the government did everything possible to secure his release "in this impossible situation".

"It could be that the fate of Ken was sealed from day one," he said.

There were also reports from the militant stronghold of Fallujah that Mr Bigley had been beheaded on Thursday afternoon in Latifiya, near Baghdad.

A video released by the kidnappers showed six hooded, armed men standing behind Mr Bigley, who was on his knees, according to a witness who watched the video for the Reuters news agency.

One of the six spoke in Arabic for a minute.

He said the group would carry out "the sentence of execution against this hostage" because the British government "did not meet our demand" to release Iraqi women detained by the US-led command in Iraq.

He then took a knife from his belt and severed Mr Bigley's head as three other militants held him down.

The killer then held up the severed head.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: "Now that this terrible news has been confirmed I want to offer the family and friends of Kenneth Bigley my deepest condolences.

"This is a barbaric murder following three weeks of terrible suffering for his family."

At a later press conference Mr Straw said the government had exchanged messages with the captors but they refused to abandon their demands.

He is due to visit the Bigley family on Friday night.

Conservative leader Michael Howard condemned the kidnappers' "grotesque barbarity" and said his heart went out to the family in their moment of terrible loss.

"To those who committed this atrocious and despicable act our message is: we shall never give in to blackmail from terrorists," he said.

Mr Bigley's relatives gathered at their family home in Liverpool as news of his death broke.

His son Craig, mother Lil and brothers Philip and Paul had campaigned for his release.

Paul Bigley had been due to take part in a Stop the War Coalition rally at Liverpool University on Friday evening, via a video link from his Amsterdam home.

Spokeswoman Carmel Byrne said a message from him would be read out instead.

She said it read: "Please, please stop this war and prevent other lives being lost. It is illegal and has to stop. Mr Blair has blood on his hands."

Mr Bigley was last seen alive in a video broadcast last week, pleading for Prime Minister Tony Blair to help him.

Mr Bigley's Thai-born wife Sombat, had made several emotional appeals for mercy.

The engineer was captured just weeks before his official retirement when he would have joined her in Thailand.

Mr Bigley's Irish-born mother Lil, 86, has been treated in hospital several times.


www.bbc.co.uk

[mauzip]

peaceful people, those muslims

[Thirteen]

NOT only is it a brutal murder

NOT only is it a brutal murder of a 62 year old man

but it's the brutal murder of a 62 year old man weeks before his retirement

it doesn't get much shittier than that

R.I.P.

[mauzip]

*waits for King Tech Quadafi to justify this cruel murder*

[eS El Duque]

*waits for King Tech Quadafi to justify this cruel murder*

[Don Rizzle]

sad shit especially the way they stung it out, there should really be a media black out with these things cos they played right into the kidnappers hands

[Sikotic™]

RIP

[bez]

Believe it or not I am actually very teary as I write this. 

R.I.P Ken.

Liverpool loves you!

[Leggy Hendrix]

i posted it but didnt actually say it myself, so

RIP Ken Bigley...

[King Tech Quadafi]

You fuckin lames always ignore my points and arguments then say something dumb like I cant wait till Tech justifies this.


Anyways, RIP to Ken Bigley, sad state of affairs really, another piece of blood on Bushes hands.

[King Tech Quadafi]

*waits for King Tech Quadafi to justify this cruel murder*

*Waits for the Cardinals to rip the Yankees a new asshole in the World Series*
 

[Thirteen]

You fuckin lames always ignore my points and arguments then say something dumb like I cant wait till Tech justifies this.


Anyways, RIP to Ken Bigley, sad state of affairs really, another piece of blood on Bushes hands.

damn that bush...he practically put that machette in those muslims hands and put a gun to their head if they didn't cut that guys head off

[King Tech Quadafi]

No, but he invaded the fuckin country, thus creating these militant groups THAT WERENT LOBBING OFF HEADS WHEN SADDAM WAS THERE. And it was this war that led to this Bigley chap to Iraq to work, no? So, in light of facts proving that this war is illegitimate and based on lies, an life taken as a result of the war is one the wars creators hands? Is this concept understood now? Are things more clearer to understand? Im still not sure yet, because Ive seen many instances of you not understanding very simple things.

[Thirteen]

No, but he invaded the fuckin country, thus creating these militant groups THAT WERENT LOBBING OFF HEADS WHEN SADDAM WAS THERE. And it was this war that led to this Bigley chap to Iraq to work, no? So, in light of facts proving that this war is illegitimate and based on lies, an life taken as a result of the war is one the wars creators hands? Is this concept understood now? Are things more clearer to understand? Im still not sure yet, because Ive seen many instances of you not understanding very simple things.

i'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due....but no one MAKES you kidnap a civilian and hack his head off, well except for people in your religion that say they should do that type of thing....but those aren't really people anyways

how would you feel if i went to the sizzlers you worked at...and they sat me at this pristine looking table with a great view of the parking lot and i said "man another great table thanks to Prime Minister Paul Martin" knowing damn well that you're the one that cleaned it off for me?

[Don Rizzle]

indirectly yes
however wasn't bigley rebuilding iraq? which in that case i can't see blame going to britain or america
those groups who kill those trying to reconstruct iraq or aid workers should die a slow a painful death and blane cannot be levied back to america for their actions as they are acting in no ones interest.