Blair's vow over British hostage

Muslim Council delegates arrive in Iraq

Prime Minister Tony Blair has vowed that the government "will continue to do whatever it can" for British hostage Ken Bigley.

His words came as two members of the Muslim Council of Britain landed in Iraq to press for Mr Bigley's release.

Dr Daud Abdullah and Dr Musharraf Hussain will urge Muslim leaders to put pressure on the kidnappers to free him.

Mr Bigley's elderly mother, 86-year-old Lil, was taken to hospital for a second time on Saturday after falling ill.

Mr Bigley, a 62-year-old civil engineer from Liverpool, was captured at gunpoint in Baghdad on 16 September with two American colleagues.

The two Americans have both since been beheaded by their captors.

'Amazing dignity'

Speaking as he arrived at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Mr Blair said: "We have been in touch with the Bigley family and I think everyone is amazed at how dignified they have been over the last few days.

"We will continue to do whatever we can.

"If you will forgive me, I don't think there is much more I can or should say at the moment."

There has been no word on the engineer since he was seen pleading for his life in a video posted on a militant-linked website on Wednesday.

Terry Waite was greeted by Mr Bigley's two brothers

Paramedics were called to treat Mrs Bigley's home in Walton, Liverpool, on Saturday and took her to hospital after spending half an hour in the house with her.

It was the second time she had become ill since news of her son being kidnapped emerged.

Jack Straw has telephoned Mr Bigley's wife in Thailand and former Beirut hostage Terry Waite visited his family's UK home on Saturday.

The Foreign Office confirmed that the foreign secretary telephoned Mrs Bigley on Saturday morning.

No details of that conversation have been given, but it is thought Mr Straw would have explained to Mrs Bigley through an interpreter the measures the government is taking to secure her husband's release.

Power of prayer

His call came as House of Commons leader Peter Hain clarified comments he made suggesting that Iraq would be a "fringe" issue at the party conference.

"Iraq most emphatically is not [a fringe issue] and I did not mean to give that impression", he said.

Islam does not condone the capture of non-combatants, let alone the killing of them Dr Daud Abdullah 'Trusted' officials make plea

The two Muslim Council of Britain members in Baghdad, Dr Abdullah and Dr Hussain, have said they hope to meet Islamic scholars and other well placed Iraqis in Baghdad.

As they arrived in Baghdad, Dr Hussain told BBC world affairs correspondent Nicholas Witchell: "We believe that Ken is our fellow British citizen. It's our responsibility to do what we can.

"We believe in the power of prayer touching people's hearts."

Dr Abdullah said they would contact people of influence, such as community and religious leaders as well as politicians.

He said: "He (Mr Bigley) was a non-combatant and Islam does not condone the capture of non-combatants, let alone the killing of them."

The BBC's Karen Allen, in Baghdad, said the delegation had themselves warned against pinning too much hope on the mission.

There has been no word on Mr Bigley since this video was aired

Speaking on BBC News 24 on Saturday, Labour peer Baroness Pola Uddin said she was "sceptical" of what she described as "a knee jerk reaction" to the situation.

"The Muslim Council of Britain is not recognised as an authority, even in this country", she said, adding that she did not think Iraqis were "going to recognise their authority."

An appeal by Mr Bigley's mother, made in the family's home city of Liverpool, was broadcast on Al-Jazeera, the Arabic television channel, earlier this week.

The British Embassy in the Iraqi capital has also distributed 50,000 leaflets appealing for Mr Bigley's release.

One of Baghdad's main newspapers has also carried a front-page advert from Mr Bigley's family asking for help.

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

Britain has ruled out any negotiations with the kidnappers and Mr Straw is coming under fire in his own constituency for his handling of the crisis.