‘Release Iraqi prisoners so we can go home’

Feb 27 2008 by David James, South Wales Echo

HOPES that two South Wales bodyguards kidnapped last May in Iraq are still alive have been raised by a video released of one of his colleagues.

An Arab television network yesterday broadcast a video of kidnapped computer expert Peter Moore, of Lincolnshire, asking Prime Minister Gordon Brown to negotiate with the abductors.

Mr Moore was one of five Britons snatched from outside Baghdad’s finance ministry in May last year.

The Foreign Office has refused to identify four GardaWorld private contractors protecting Mr Moore, two of whom are from South Wales. One is believed to be from Cardiff, the other from Llanelli.

The British Government yesterday condemned the release of the video, which was shown on the Al Arabiya satellite television station.

A spokeswoman said the film would be “greatly distressing” to the men’s families.

Mr Moore appeared in the video – which has not been authenticated – with a beard and appeared to be wearing a tracksuit.

He said: “My name is Peter Moore, I have been held here for nearly eight months now.”

His voice is then dubbed into Arabic calling for the release of nine Iraqi prisoners and telling his family he misses them.

Mr Moore continued: “All I want is to leave this place. I tell Gordon Brown the matter is simple: Release their prisoners so we can go.

“It’s as simple as that. It’s a simple exchange of people. That is all they want – their people and we can go home.”

It is the second video of the hostages which has been released following a clip shown on Al Arabiya on December 4 of a man called Jason.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We condemn the release of videos such as this, which are greatly distressing to the families of those involved. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

“We urge those holding the group to release them immediately. We are in close contact with the Iraqi authorities and doing everything we can to try to secure a swift release. We ask all those who may be able to influence those holding the five men to make every effort they can to secure the safety and the release of the hostages.

“We again call directly on those holding these men to release them. No matter what the cause, holding hostages is never justified and is never a way of making progress on any issue. These five men should be released immediately.”

The five Britons were seized by about 40 gunmen wearing police uniforms at the Iraqi Finance Ministry in Baghdad on May 29 last year.

Yesterday’s video named the group responsible as the Islamic Shi’ite resistance in Iraq.

The BBC’s Baghdad correspondent Jim Muir said the name had not been heard before but that it was believed to be a splinter group of the Mahdi Army controlled radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Criticism of the Government’s refusal to refuse to identify the five men was growing yesterday on postings on the internet.

Liz from London posted on one story: “These poor men have indeed been forgotten – conveniently – by our Government.”

david.james@mediawales.co.uk