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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Fear Iraq bodies are UK hostages | Fear Iraq bodies are UK hostages |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two bodies feared to be those of British hostages held in Iraq have been handed over, Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said. | |
| Mr Miliband said forensic tests were being carried out on the remains to see if they were of the Britons who were captured in Iraq in May 2007. | Mr Miliband said forensic tests were being carried out on the remains to see if they were of the Britons who were captured in Iraq in May 2007. |
| He said his thoughts were with the families of the five men and "they will fear the worst for their loved ones". | He said his thoughts were with the families of the five men and "they will fear the worst for their loved ones". |
| There had been speculation earlier this year a deal to free the men was close. | There had been speculation earlier this year a deal to free the men was close. |
| 'Distressing development' | 'Distressing development' |
| IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, and four security guards were captured by armed militants at the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad in 2007. | IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, and four security guards were captured by armed militants at the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad in 2007. |
| Their captors are a group called the Islamic Shiite Resistance in Iraq. | Their captors are a group called the Islamic Shiite Resistance in Iraq. |
| Security experts understood there had been positive diplomatic moves behind the scene to free them. | Security experts understood there had been positive diplomatic moves behind the scene to free them. |
| Mr Miliband said: "This is a very distressing development. | Mr Miliband said: "This is a very distressing development. |
| "We have never speculated on the outcome of this case although we have been working intensively on it, so the overriding feeling today is one of deep sadness and fear." | "We have never speculated on the outcome of this case although we have been working intensively on it, so the overriding feeling today is one of deep sadness and fear." |
| Hostage-taking is never justified in any cause - today's terrible news underlines the gravity of the crimes associated with it Foreign Secretary David Miliband | Hostage-taking is never justified in any cause - today's terrible news underlines the gravity of the crimes associated with it Foreign Secretary David Miliband |
| He said forensic examinations are under way to establish the identities of the bodies and how they died. | He said forensic examinations are under way to establish the identities of the bodies and how they died. |
| "Our immediate thoughts are clearly with the families of the five Britons taken hostage in Baghdad in May 2007," he said. | "Our immediate thoughts are clearly with the families of the five Britons taken hostage in Baghdad in May 2007," he said. |
| "As would be the case with any development of this kind, they will fear the worst for their loved ones. | "As would be the case with any development of this kind, they will fear the worst for their loved ones. |
| "This is terrible moment of uncertainty and fear for them." | "This is terrible moment of uncertainty and fear for them." |
| 'Never justified' | |
| Mr Miliband called for the immediate safe release of the remaining hostages. | Mr Miliband called for the immediate safe release of the remaining hostages. |
| He said he did believed those involved in trying to gain the release of the two people whose remains had been handed over had "failed". | |
| "I think British people understand why no British government makes concessions in return for hostage-taking," he added. | |
| "Hostage-taking is never justified in any cause. | |
| "Today's terrible news underlines the gravity of the crimes associated with it," Mr Miliband said. | |
| He also praised the help the Iraqi authorities had given in attempts to free the hostages. | He also praised the help the Iraqi authorities had given in attempts to free the hostages. |
| "I urge those working for peace and progress in Iraq to redouble their efforts to secure the release of all the hostages held there." | "I urge those working for peace and progress in Iraq to redouble their efforts to secure the release of all the hostages held there." |
| Few details | Few details |
| Little is known about the identities of the men because of a media blackout during a large period of their captivity. | |
| The blackout originally came came on the instruction of the hostage takers who said they did not want publicity. | |
| The militants have released videos of the captives, including one - broadcast on Dubai-based TV station Al-Arabiya - warning that a hostage would be killed unless British troops withdrew from Iraq. | The militants have released videos of the captives, including one - broadcast on Dubai-based TV station Al-Arabiya - warning that a hostage would be killed unless British troops withdrew from Iraq. |
| Mr Moore had been working for American management consultancy Bearingpoint when he was kidnapped, while the other men were contractors employed to guard him. | Mr Moore had been working for American management consultancy Bearingpoint when he was kidnapped, while the other men were contractors employed to guard him. |
| Four of the men abducted were security guards working for a company called Gardaworld. Their names are understood to be Jason, Alan, Jason and Alec. | Four of the men abducted were security guards working for a company called Gardaworld. Their names are understood to be Jason, Alan, Jason and Alec. |
| Little else is known about them, other than that the guard Alan was from Dumbarton in Scotland. | Little else is known about them, other than that the guard Alan was from Dumbarton in Scotland. |