UK hostages held in Iraq found dead

TWO bodies believed to be those of British hostages kidnapped in Iraq were last night handed over to UK authorities.

The victims were among five men – two of them Scots – who were seized in Baghdad in 2007, sparking a determined effort to win their freedom.

Last night, Foreign Secretary David Miliband shattered growing hopes that all five would be released unharmed when he confirmed the handover of two bodies by the Iraqis. Miliband admitted everyone involved had "failed" in their efforts to secure the release of the two men, and he called for the safe release of the remaining three.

The hostages, computer instructor Peter Moore, from Lincoln, and his four bodyguards, were seized by a gang of 40 men from a Shiite militant group from an Iraqi finance ministry building in Baghdad.

Two of the bodyguards are Scots, known only as Alan, a father of two from Dumbarton, and Jason, a father who has family living near Aberdeen.

The other two are known as Jason, from Wales, and Alec. The men's full names have not been released for security reasons.

Forensic examinations were last night under way to establish the bodies' identities and causes of death.

Miliband said: "Our immediate thoughts are clearly with the families of the five Britons taken hostage in Baghdad in May 2007.

"As would be the case with any development of this kind, they will fear the worst for their loved ones.

He continued: "Hostage-taking is never justified in any cause. Today's terrible news underlines the gravity of the crimes associated with it."

He reiterated Britain's call for the immediate safe release of all the remaining hostages.

"I also confirm that we are working intensively towards that goal, but I also have to say the threat to them remains very high indeed."

He added: "We cannot getinto a position where the British government starts making concessions in return for hostage-taking. The only result of that would be more hostage-taking.

"What we can do is use all of our links with the government of Iraq and their links with the wider society in Iraq to secure the safe release of hostages."

However, Graeme Moore, the father of Peter, angrily attacked the government, claiming that the Foreign Office had "not bothered" to keep him informed after remains were handed to authorities.

Instead, he was visited by a police officer, who read him a brief statement, Moore said. The 59-year-old delivery driver, from Leicestershire, said: "At this stage we are just clinging on to any hope we can. The government have not been good enough throughout.

"I was visited by a police officer who could only read a statement – what we want and deserve is some clarification as to what's going on. We are beside ourselves."

Moore paid tribute to his son's "resilience", adding: "Until things are confirmed, I stand resolutely by my belief that he is still alive. My son is resilient – he has had to be.

"As far as I am aware, his captives have actually been treating him OK – I cannot let myself believe that he might have come to harm."

The mother of the bodyguard from south Wales said it was a difficult time for the family.

She added: "We are anxious about the situation, yes. We have heard nothing new from the Foreign Office, but we are hoping for the best."

The kidnappers, calling themselves the Islamic Shiite Resistance in Iraq, had released several videos that featured the captives and made demands over the past two years.

They had claimed last year that Jason from Wales had killed himself, a claim rejected by his family.

In February last year, a video broadcast by Dubai TV station al-Arabiya showed a bearded and tired-looking Moore asking Gordon Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the British hostages.

Alan from Dumbarton was seen in a video calling for the British government to act to help them. In the clip, the Scot said separation from his family was worse than any physical pain.

In a letter released last month, the other Jason's seven-year-old daughter, Maddi, wrote: "We all want you to come home. I love you very much."

Responsibility for the kidnapping was at first pinned on Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi army. But his followers denied responsibility and suspicion fell on splinter groups that the US believes are controlled by Iran.

Terrorism expert Dr David Capitanchik, of Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, described yesterday's development as a "mystery", coming two years after the kidnap.

He said: "They have been hostages for two years, and although the government says they have been doing a lot to try to get them released, obviously they have not been successful. Having kept them hostage for two years, I am surprised.

"I don't think the British government has a lot of influence there, quite honestly. The only people who can influence what's happening in the Iraqi regime are the Americans.

"It is a bit of a mystery that they have been kept hostage for two years and only now are the hostage-takers doing something about it. It's not easy to know who they are talking to."