Bigley: Gaddafi son's involved

2004-10-05 12:40

Vienna - The son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said on Tuesday he is working to win the release of a British engineer being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq.

Saif el Islam el Gaddafi told reporters in Vienna that the family of hostage Kenneth Bigley had called on the Gaddafis to help win his freedom.

"We already contacted our friends in Iraq," he said. "We have a presence in Fallujah right now. We have good contact with tribal leaders there and we asked them for help. Maybe they will hand him over to another group."

Bigley, 62, was kidnapped in Baghdad on September 16 with two American co-workers for Gulf Services of the United Arab Emirates.

A video issued in the name of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi threatened their lives unless the United States freed all Iraqi women in custody. The two Americans later were slain.

"We'll see what happens. I think today and tomorrow are crucial," said Gaddafi, who heads the Gaddafi International Foundation for Charity Associations.

- AP