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Two Britons held in Iraq "very likely" dead -media
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 29 - 07 - 2009


Two of three remaining British
hostages held in Iraq since May 2007 are "very likely" to be
dead, media reports said on Wednesday, citing the victims'
families.
The two men, security guards who were working in Iraq, were
among five Britons seized by a militant group from inside an Iraqi Finance Ministry building in a raid in Baghdad.
The bodies of another two of the five, Jason Creswell and
Jason Swindle Hurst, were handed over by their captors in June
but there was no news then of the fate of the remaining three.
BBC radio reported on Wednesday that the families of two of
the three remaining hostages were told by British officials last
week it was "very likely" the pair were dead.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office refused to confirm or
deny the reports, which were also carried in other British
media, saying the government would "not discuss operational
details of cases".
"We continue to work intensively for the release of the
hostages still held in this highly complex case, and are
extremely concerned for their safety," she said.
A source told Reuters that relatives of the two men -- named
by the BBC as Alan McMenemy from Scotland and Alec Maclachlan
from Wales -- were expected to make a statement later on
Wednesday.
The Foreign Office said it could not disclose details of any
conversations with the families but said it continued to "keep
families closely informed whenever there is new information".
Since the Britons -- computer instructor Peter Moore and his
four bodyguards -- were seized in May 2007, several videos of
them in captivity have emerged. In March, Britain's Channel 4
News television said a video showed a healthy-looking Moore.
In February 2008, another video featuring Moore was aired by
Dubai-based Al Arabiya television in which he called on British
Prime Minister Gordon Brown to free nine Iraqis in return for
the hostages' freedom.
Britain was an ally of the United States in the invasion of
Iraq in 2003, but has now withdrawn all but about 500 troops
from the country.


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