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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| 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. | 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 two of the five 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 two of the five Britons who were captured in Iraq in May 2007. |
| He said his thoughts were with the families of the men and "they will fear the worst for their loved ones". | He said his thoughts were with the families of the 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 scenes to free them, including the release of a prisoner whose freedom was being demanded by the hostage-takers. | Security experts understood there had been positive diplomatic moves behind the scenes to free them, including the release of a prisoner whose freedom was being demanded by the hostage-takers. |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband: "This is a terrible moment of uncertainty and fear" | Foreign Secretary David Miliband: "This is a terrible moment of uncertainty and fear" |
| 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." |
| 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." |
| Joe Gavaghan, a spokesman for the security company GardaWorld which employed the four guards, said families were not giving up hope. | Joe Gavaghan, a spokesman for the security company GardaWorld which employed the four guards, said families were not giving up hope. |
| He said: "The announcement is very concerning. We are certainly not giving up hope that Peter and our four security people are still alive." | He said: "The announcement is very concerning. We are certainly not giving up hope that Peter and our four security people are still alive." |
| Jim Muir, BBC News, Baghdad | Jim Muir, BBC News, Baghdad |
| "This comes against the background of a lot of speculation that there would be some movement on the issue of the five British hostages. | "This comes against the background of a lot of speculation that there would be some movement on the issue of the five British hostages. |
| "A couple of weeks back, the American forces here released one of the men whose freedom was being demanded by the hostage-takers, a man called Laith al-Khazali. That would be seen, in the grisly context of these hostage businesses, as something that should be requited. | "A couple of weeks back, the American forces here released one of the men whose freedom was being demanded by the hostage-takers, a man called Laith al-Khazali. That would be seen, in the grisly context of these hostage businesses, as something that should be requited. |
| "The handing over of these two bodies could be seen by the hostage-takers as in a sense a reward, or at least some kind of concession from their side. | "The handing over of these two bodies could be seen by the hostage-takers as in a sense a reward, or at least some kind of concession from their side. |
| "In this very sordid business, bodies are traded. The Israelis do anything to get their bodies back, for example, in south Lebanon from Hezbollah. Bodies do have a price attached to them." | |
| 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 believed those involved in trying to gain the release of the two people whose remains had been handed over had "failed". | He said he 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. | "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. | "Hostage-taking is never justified in any cause. |
| "Today's terrible news underlines the gravity of the crimes associated with it," Mr Miliband said. | "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 Britons. | He also praised the help the Iraqi authorities had given in attempts to free the Britons. |
| "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." |
| Little is known about the identities of the men because of a media blackout during a large period of their captivity. | 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 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. |
| Their names of the four security guards are understood to be Jason, Alan, Jason and Alec. | Their names of the four security guards 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. |