Appeal for the Life of British Hostage from Worldwide Muslim Leaders

The 13th day since British hostage Kenneth Bigley was seized by Islamic militants has passed. Last week, on an Islamic website, a video showing Bigley’s appeal for the help of Prime Minister Tony Blair was posted. Since then, two American have been brutally beheaded, and Bigley’s family and religious leaders in the UK have been very outspoken in pleading for the "merciful hand" of the militants through the mass media, and have raised worldwide concern.

There has been unceasing effort from different parties that have been trying to secure Bigley’s life. On Tuesday 28th September, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat officially announced that he will lobby for the release of Kenneth Bigley, as revealed by Palestinian Telecommunications Minister Azzam al-Ahmad.

"President Arafat officially asked me to talk to all Iraqi political forces and friends ... We hope to convince kidnappers to release all foreign hostages including Kenneth Bigley," the spokesman said.

President Arafat’s kind support is a response to the request of the politicians in the Irish Labour Party, who wrote a letter to the Palestinian President stressing that the British hostage’s mother has Irish roots, and also the fact that Ireland has maintained a neutral stance on the US-led war in Iraq.

According to the Palestinian Telecommunications Minister, the Palestine Government does not have direct contacts with the hostage takers because their names are not known. Yet through their embassy in Baghdad, friends and some political factions, it is possible to have contact with the captors.

Last Saturday, a two-man delegation from Britain's biggest Muslim group arrived in Iraq to quest the Islamic militants to free the British hostage. They are Musharraf Hussain and Dawud Abdullah. The Muslim Council of Britain is the country's largest lobby group for Britain's 1.8 million Muslims.

Musharraf Hussain, a representative from the Muslim Council of Britain, expressed his great faith, "Miracles do happen."

"We believe in the power of prayer turning people's hearts and we can only have that trust and reliance in our God," Hussain continued. "If (the captors) have faith in their hearts and the seeds of true submission to God then there will be some change."

As reported by Reuters, the two delegates spoke in Kuwait. They hoped to meet religious leaders and scholars, including the leadership of the High Association of Muslim Scholars, through which they hope that their appeal for the release of Bigley will get through to the captors.

"Whoever is holding Mr. Bigley, we are endeavoring to get a message through to those captors," Hussain said.

In addition, the affiliate of the Muslim Council of Britain - the Muslim Association of Britain, appeared on Arabic TV station Al Jazeera to make a direct appeal to the kidnappers for Bigley's release. It has also distributed 50,000 leaflets in Baghdad, at the request of Bigley's family who want to exhaust all means possible to save him from Zarqawi and his militant followers.

The kidnappers are threatening to kill Bigley, but have set no deadline. There are also rumours saying the British hostage has been killed already. However, both delegates are still optimistic about the safety of Bigley.

James Jones, Anglican Bishop of Liverpool also joined the appeal saying, "We're appealing to them on the grounds of their own faith and their own faith in the God of mercy to be merciful, to have compassion in this situation and to release Mr. Bigley."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair praised Bigley’s family for their persistence and courage while the British Foreign Minister Jack Straw spoke by telephone to Bigley's Thai wife, who is in Thailand, to give her note of support.

Currently, Blair is concentrating on the annual conference of his ruling Labour Party, where he will focus on presenting the domestic achievements as a preparation for the general election next year. However, Bigley’s brother has slammed Blair for his reluctance to help Bigley to appeal for his life.

Bigley’s brother said on Monday, "I've never, ever, ever, ever, in all my communications suggested that anybody, in particular a governmental person, negotiate with these people [terrorists]. What I'm asking for is communication."