HOSTAGE FAMILIES HELL: WHICH 2 ARE DEAD?

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jun 21, 2009 | by VINCENT MOSS

TWO British hostages held in Iraq for two years have been found dead.

Iraqi authorities handed over two bodies to UK forces late on Friday, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said yesterday.

The two victims are believed to belong to the group of five British men kidnapped from the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad in May 2007.

IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, and four security guards were snatched by Iranian-backed militants calling themselves the Islamic Shi'ite Resistance in Iraq.

Relatives now face an agonising wait to discover the names of the victims. Only the first names of the bodyguards have been released by the Foreign Office.

Two, Alan and Jason, are from Scotland, and Alec and a second Jason are from Wales. Mr Miliband said DNA tests were under way to identify the bodies. The men are believed to have been killed several months ago. The mother of one of the Welsh men said last night: "We are anxious about the situation. We have heard nothing new but we are hoping for the best."

A Downing Street spokes-man said: "The Prime Minister was saddened and dismayed by the news that the remains of two bodies have been passed to the British Embassy in Baghdad. His thoughts are with the families of the five men."

The news comes days after hopes were raised of the hostages' imminent release.

On June 6, the US released Shia insurgent Laith alKhazali, a key demand of gunmen holding the hostages.

Mr Miliband repeated a call for the immediate safe release of "all the remaining hostages".

A spokesman for GardaWorld, the Canadian company which employed the security guards, said: "The announcement is very concerning, but we are not giving up hope that Peter and our four security people are still alive."