Bigley: Red Cross will help

2004-10-01 21:16

London - The International Committee of the Red Cross insisted on Friday that Britain does not hold any women prisoners in Iraq, and said it was ready to act as a mediator to help free British hostage Kenneth Bigley.

The British government said more than 100 000 leaflets had been distributed in Baghdad containing a personal plea from Bigley's family and an appeal to his captors to release him.

Bigley, an engineer, was kidnapped two weeks ago in Baghdad along with two American colleagues who have since been beheaded.

The Islamic militants claiming responsibility for Bigley's abduction have demanded the release of female Iraqi prisoners. The British government has repeatedly stressed that it does not hold any.

The US military says it has two Iraqi women in custody - Rihab Rashid Taha, a scientist who became known as "Dr Germ" for helping Iraq make weapons with anthrax, and Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, a biotech researcher dubbed "Mrs Anthrax".

The ICRC, which visits prisons around the world to monitor the condition and treatment of prisoners, told The Associated Press that it had repeatedly visited Britain's sole detention facility in Iraq, near the southern city of Basra.

"We have repeatedly visited Shaiba, the only British detention place in Iraq. There are no women detained there," said Rana Sidani at the ICRC in Geneva, Switzerland.

Sidani said the ICRC did not have any contacts with the militant group, controlled by Jordanian terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, believed to be holding Bigley.

"We stand ready if we are contacted to mediate," she added.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Thursday that Britain would not pay a ransom or meet any political demands to secure Bigley's release.

- SAPA