Bigley 'unwell, not broken'

2004-09-29 17:23

London - Ken Bigley, the British hostage held in Iraq, looked unwell but "not a broken man" when he appeared on a videotape broadcast on Wednesday on an Arab television channel, his younger brother Paul said.

Paul Bigley, who spoke to Britain's Press Association news agency from his home in the Netherlands, said he was comforted to see the video broadcast by Al-Jazeera television showing his brother in an orange jumpsuit.

Asked about his immediate reaction to the video, Paul Bigley said: "Number one is that he's alive."

He said his brother looked unwell, "as if he's been on a booze binge", but added: "He's alive and he's not a broken man."

Paul Bigley repeated his calls for British Prime Minister Tony Blair to resign.

He suggested the new video, which he had seen, proved the authenticity of an earlier statement he was said to have received from the hostage takers.

He said it had showed his brother pleading for Blair to save his life.

"He is obviously an afraid man and he is worn out. His faculties are all there, but he is worn out."

- AFP