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New Iraq hostage video "deplored" by prime ministers

27/02/2008

Gordon Brown and his Iraqi counterpart Nouri al-Maliki have "deplored" video footage showing a British man kidnapped in Iraq last May.

The two prime ministers spoke over the phone this morning, Downing Street said, to discuss the footage, which was broadcast on Arabic-language al-Arabiya television last night.

In the video, a man calling himself Peter Moore asks Mr Brown to release nine Iraqis in exchange for his own freedom.

'Mr Moore' was among five men – a computing consultant and four security guards assigned to protect him - kidnapped on May 29th last year when more than 40 gunmen stormed the finance ministry in Baghdad.

Last night the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) condemned the video, sentiments echoed by Mr Brown this morning.

"The prime minister has been in close contact with prime minister [Nouri] al-Maliki on this case and discussed it again with him over the phone this morning," a No 10 spokesman said.

"Both leaders deplored the taking and public parading of hostages and agreed to continue their close cooperation to secure their early release."

Last night's FCO statement said the release of the video would be "greatly distressing" to the men's families.

"We urge those holding the group to release them immediately," the message elaborated.

"We are in close contact with the Iraqi authorities and doing everything we can to try and secure a swift release."