UK makes Baghdad plea for hostage

The leaflets follow appeal broadcasts on Arab TV

Fifty thousand pamphlets pleading for the life of UK hostage Ken Bigley have been handed out in Iraq.

The leaflets, with a personal appeal from the 62-year-old engineer's family, were released by the UK Foreign Office on Thursday night.

They were distributed in western Baghdad's Mansour district, where Mr Bigley and two colleagues were taken.

The three were captured at gunpoint and Americans Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley have since been beheaded.

'Worldwide commotion'

Meanwhile Mr Bigley's brother Paul has told the BBC he is convinced the kidnappers have been following the family's high-profile campaign to free him.

"I'm absolutely convinced the people holding Ken have had sight of my messages," he said.

"They know only too well what commotion we've caused worldwide."

On Friday Foreign Secretary Jack Straw again telephoned the Bigley family to update them on the situation.

A family man called Ken Bigley is being held somewhere in your community - we are appealing for your help Foreign Office leaflet

Written in Arabic, leaflets dropped in Baghdad on Thursday night read: "This is a personal appeal from a family whose son is missing.

"A family man called Ken Bigley is being held somewhere in your community.

"We are Ken's family. Ken's mother, brothers, wife and child love him dearly.

"We are appealing for your help. We appeal to those who have taken him to return Ken to us.

"Do you know where Ken is? Do you have any information about his whereabouts?"

'Show mercy'

On Thursday, Mr Bigley's mother Lil, 86, made a televised appeal for her son from her home city of Liverpool.

"Would you please help my son? He is only a working man who wants to support his family. Please show mercy to Ken and send him home to me alive," she said.

She fell ill after making the statement and was taken to hospital, but later returned home.

He is only a working man who wants to support his family Lil Bigley 'Keep hope alive' - Waite Profile: Kenneth Bigley

Mr Bigley's wife Sombat, who lives in Thailand and has been married to him for seven years, has also made a appeal, begging for him to be freed.

In Baghdad on Thursday night armed men kidnapped two Egyptians from their Baghdad office, the third such abduction in less than three weeks.

Kidnappers from the Tawhid and Jihad Group, led by al-Qaeda suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, have threatened to murder Mr Bigley unless the UK and US release all women held in Iraqi jails.

A film of Mr Bigley pleading to Prime Minister Tony Blair to save his life was posted on an Islamic website.

But Britain has ruled out negotiating with the kidnappers, and the US says it will not allow the release of the woman scientist Dr Rihab Rashid Taha being held in Iraq.

As for Mr Blair's approach, former cabinet minister Stephen Byers told the ITN News Channel: "He is a very Christian person, a very religious man and he will be wondering just where God is at this time because this is something awful that is taking place."

Leaders of all faiths, and people who want to show their support, will be attending a candle-lit vigil at Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral on Friday from 2100 BST.

Leaders of Liverpool's Muslim community have condemned the murders and kidnappings as "completely and utterly un-Islamic".

Mr Bigley made a video statement

The Liverpool Muslim Society's Mohammed Kadri told BBC News 24 the city's community was appealing to the kidnappers.

"We are very much concerned about his (Mr Bigley's) life and we have already prayed for him," he said.

"We hope an early release will be imminent."

On Monday, the kidnappers released footage showing American Eugene Armstrong being killed by a masked man said by the CIA to be Mr Zarqawi.

A second American, Jack Hensley, was killed 24 hours later. A video purportedly showing his execution was posted on Wednesday evening.

Mr Bigley's family has also asked the Irish government for help, as Mrs Bigley was born in Ireland.

Foreign affairs spokesman for the opposition Labour Party Michael D. Higgins, who opposed the Iraq war, told the al-Jazeera news channel he was willing to travel to Iraq in an effort to free Mr Bigley.