Bigley granted Irish passport

2004-10-05 17:54

London - British hostage Ken Bigley has been granted an Irish passport, Sky News has reported.

Reports over the weekend suggested Mr Bigley may only have been spared by his captors so far because they thought he may be Irish.

Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said: "Mr Kenneth Bigley's family has asked for an Irish passport to be issued in order to help convince his kidnappers of his Irish citizenship.

"I am happy to agree to this request and I ... very much hope that it will contribute to the efforts to secure his release."

Mr Bigley qualifies through his mother, who was born in Ireland.

A Muslim cleric claimed to have met Bigley and his kidnappers at the weekend.

He said he had been told that Bigley's Irish heritage was the only reason he had not been beheaded yet.

Two American colleagues of the Merseyside-born engineer were murdered soon after their abduction almost three weeks ago.

- News24