WAR: Bigley Escaped Prior to Execution

Kenneth Bigley, a british man taken hostage by militants in Iraq on September 16 has reportedly been killed. Iraqi television Abu Dhabi is reporting they have reliable sources claiming the killing of Bigley. Bigley's brother claims to have heard nothing and is still hopeful of his brother.

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British embassy officials have yet to confirm the killing of Bigley. This follows 2 American workers who were kidnapped with Bigley, and have been beheaded.

I will update as soon as more information is released and we can confirm.

UPDATE
Skynews is now citing British Government sources claiming that Kenneth Bigley has been killed. Neither PM Blair nor the British Foreign Office have been available for comment.
abcnews.go.com

UPDATE
Although TV station Abu Dhabi will not show the supposed video of the execution of Kenneth Bigley, it still claims that Bigley has been executed by Iraqi militants.


CNN.com is reporting breaking news that Kenneth Bigleys family is confirming his execution by Iraqi militants

UPDATE

It is being reported that Kenneth Bigley attempted and succedded escaping his captors for at least 30 minutes prior to his beheading. According to reports another hostage with Bigley helped him escape and he got as far as atifiya, southwest of Baghdad. He never made it to the main streets and he was executed shortly after his capture in Latifiya. The fate of his fellow hostage/accomplice is not yet known.



Related News Links
Reuters.com
CNN.com

Related ATS Discussion
Web Site Says Zarqawi Group Kills American Hostage
Second US Hostage Killed

[edit on 9-10-2004 by deeprivergal]

[edit on 9-10-2004 by deeprivergal]

Radio 1 Newsbeat the national radio station for the U.K stated on lunchtime news program that the Uk Foreign Office were investigating the reports alleged by Reuters.

Well, I hope it turns out a false report. If not, my prayers are with Mr. Bigley's family.

Same as, I really do hope he is still alive, He has been through so much,

But i have a gut feeling that this is the truth now, But that could be just becouse we have had no word in 9 days,

My thoughts are with the family also

if this is true then it's terrible news for everyone that has hoped and prayed for kenneths safe return.
I should also imagine that comedian Billy Connolly will be a pretty unpopular character after his "joke" the other day about how the kidnappers should "hurry up and get on with it"

That was in extremely poor taste. I love comedians to say contraversial things and alot of comedy comes from tragedy, but to say that after many people have seen the man begging for his life on video and to know that any day he could be dead was very insensitive.

Put it this way I don't think he's going to be coming to Liverpool anytime soon...

[edit on 8-10-2004 by John Nada]

I love Billy Connolly. I am of Scottish decent and he is a big fan of Australia. His humour clicks with me and my family. But I find his comment outrageous. Sometimes I think that he thinks he can get away with a lot more as he pushes the bar higher and higher. I really believe he needs to apologise.

I'm afraid Mr. Bigley was beheaded. The video exists.
What a nightmare.


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A video released by Muslim militants on Friday showed them beheading British hostage Kenneth Bigley, a Reuters witness said.

Our hearts go out to his family, such a shame after there seemed to be a glimmer of hope when will this horror ever end? and as far as Billy Conolly is concerned - "GROW UP" Billy!!!

[edit on 8-10-2004 by bluemeanie]

Here's one from Reuters..



Reuters

This brief from ABC news says he was beheaded yesterday (Thursday).
Poor Liverpool.

Guerrilla sources in the rebel-held city of Falluja said earlier that Bigley, who was being held by a militant group led by alleged al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed on Thursday afternoon in Latifiya, southwest of Baghdad.

In the video, seen by a Reuters witness in the office of a foreign news organization in Baghdad, the 62-year-old engineer was shown making a statement as six militants stood behind him, before one cut his head off with a knife.

Its all well that their going mad over this now but hewas warned to leave Iraq a week before his capture, by the Brithish Goverment. He chose to ignore this and stay for another week. Its alleged that British workers would be earning a £1000 plus a week also his own family begged him not to go. So I think it is his own falut that he was captured and they should stop trying to put the blame on Tony Blair and G.W Bush.

[edit on 8/10/2004 by SE7EN]

Wheres the video then?

I checked a site which always has the beheading videos as soon as any group releases them and i cannot see any videos of Ken Bigley, they just have the abc reuters article.

I really hope this is not true its so sad that they have kept him alive for this long and his family have been hoping and hoping, then the bastards do this!

Oh dear...

I bet Ken's family are feeling devestated.

One day these beheaders will be the beheaded.

Think everyone agrees working in Iraq at this point is insane.

To say Bush and Blair aren't somewhat to blame for all this is a bit daft, though. They are fueling al qaeda's Jihad by keeping troops in Iraq.

Are US troops being ambushed at every turn? Yes.
Have reports confirmed no WMD ever existed? Yes.
Are Iraqi civilians being killed? Yes.

Would withdrawing from Iraq be "giving in" to terrorists when polls indicate most Brits think siding with the US was a mistake? NO.

Sorry, but Blair has adopted the same false machismo attitude as Bush
in this situation.








[edit on 8-10-2004 by bushblows]

They could at least have shot him since they already put him through a lot of #. It makes me #ing sick. Also I dont know why anyone would want to watch these videos. I was tricked into seeing the Bulgarian mans beheading and it was sickening. Even with the poor quality they send a chill down your spine.

RIP Ken Bigle, at least your ordeal is over now.

Right, now time to put the murderers in chiefs to justice.

Its now time for Blair to be hung as a murderer and a traitor.

Then vaporise Basra.

Nope i wouldnt watch another beheading video again after i watched the other recent beheading of the american jack hensly it was my first view of something of this nature and i was sickened it was just unreal.

But if i see the link to Kens behead video il report here, i wont post the link and im not downloading it but i can just say for almost certain that he has been beheaded.