Blair urged to withdraw troops

2005-12-07 11:59

London - Briton Norman Kember, one of four Christian peace group campaigners kidnapped in Baghdad, appears on a video tape calling on British Prime Minister Tony Blair to pull troops out of Iraq.

A foreign office spokesperson said the footage was a longer version of the video aired on Qatar-based al-Jazeera television on Friday and had been available on websites for a number of days.

The footage, which was broadcast on British television on Wednesday, showed Kember in handcuffs and shackles calling on Blair to withdraw troops from the war-torn country.

Human rights

Kember, a grandfather from northwest London who was a lifelong peace campaigner and human rights advocate, was heard saying: "I ask Mr Blair to take British troops out of Iraq and leave the Iraqi people to come to their own decisions on their government."

Kember, 74, and his three colleagues from Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) - American Tom Fox, 54, as well as Canadians, James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, were kidnapped in Baghdad on November 26.

According to al-Jazeera television, the previously unknown group, "The Brigades of the Swords of Right", had threatened to kill them unless all detainees in the United States and Iraqi prisons were released.

CPT, a non-government organisation campaigning for peace, called on Tuesday for their release.

Statements of support

According to CPT, which had offices in Toronto, Canada and Chicago, "We appeal to your humanity to show mercy on our brothers and let them come back safely to us to continue our work".

It said: "As you can see by the statements of support from our friends in Iraq and all over the world, we work for those who are oppressed.

"We also condemn our own governments for their actions in Iraq".

British foreign secretary Jack Straw on Monday said the government was ready to hear from the kidnappers, but was unable to confirm reports that direct contact had been made with them.

A Western diplomat said such contact with the hostage-takers had been made. A Frenchman and a German woman had also been kidnapped in Iraq in the last week.

- AFP