Bigleys relieved by Zarqawi death

Ken Bigley was kidnapped in September 2004

The family of murdered hostage Ken Bigley have spoken of their relief at the death of militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq.

Zarqawi, who led al-Qaeda in Iraq, is suspected of being involved in the murder of Mr Bigley, who was taken hostage and killed in Iraq in 2004.

Mr Bigley's brother Stan said Zarqawi was a "monster" who had killed "a multitude of innocent people".

Zarqawi was killed in a US air raid near Baquba.

I won't lose any sleep over him being dead Stan Bigley 'Good news' - Blair

Ken Bigley, 62, originally from Liverpool, was working as an engineer in Iraq when he was kidnapped in September 2004.

Three weeks after being taken hostage he was beheaded by his captors.

Reacting to news of Zarqawi's death, Stan Bigley said: "I'm glad he's off the face of the Earth, not just for my brother but for all the people he has killed.

"Personally, I would rather have seen him captured and made to stand in the dock and face justice for what he's done.

"If that had happened, I would like to have seen him locked up for life rather than given the death penalty."

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a US air raid north of Baquba

The death penalty was "too quick for someone like him", he said.

"But I won't lose any sleep over him being dead.

"I'm not worried that he's gone."

He said he did not think his brother's body would ever be found.

"I hope and I pray they do find him, for my mother's sake, but I don't think they will so this won't make much difference to that."

The world has rid itself of a very evil person Paul Bigley

When asked what his mother's reaction to the news would be, he said his family did not really talk about Ken's death in front of her.

"She thinks about Ken every day, of course, but we try to keep low-key around her."

Another brother, Paul Bigley, told BBC News that his first reaction on hearing the news was that "the world has rid itself of a very evil person".

"The second reaction I think, being a Christian, you know, one should not be very happy about somebody's death.

"But in this particular case, quite frankly, may he rot in hell. That's where the man is.''

He said he hoped Zarqawi's "assistants and associates" met the same fate as soon as possible.