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03/06/2009
'British Hostage Beheaded': Al Qaeda Claims
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown has condemned the apparent killing of a British hostage held in north Africa, by al Qaeda militants.
In a statement released by Downing Street, the PM said the government had "strong reason to believe" that an Al Qaeda cell in Mali had murdered Edwin Dyer.
"I utterly condemn this appalling and barbaric act of terrorism," he added.
Mr Dyer had been kidnapped in Niger in January, but was being held in Mali.
The group said it would kill him if the UK government refused to release radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada from a British jail.
Last month, the group made a posting on the website saying Abu Qatada must be released within 20 days or Mr Dyer would be killed.
Reports claimed the hostage had been beheaded by his captors.
On a website used by al Qaeda-linked groups, a statement read: "The British captive was killed so that he, and with his the British state, may taste a tiny portion of what innocent Muslims taste every day at the hands of the Crusader and Jewish coalition to the east and to the west."
Mr Brown said: "I want those who would use terror against British citizens to know beyond doubt that we and our allies will pursue them relentlessly, and that they will meet the justice they deserve.
"I have regularly discussed this case with the president of Mali - he knows that he will have every support in rooting al Qaeda from this country."
Jordan-born Abu Qatada, described by a Spanish judge as the 'right-hand man in Europe' of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, has been held in Britain since 2005. He denies belonging to the group.
Britain has described him as a "significant international terrorist", however, said it does not have enough evidence to put him on trial.
(JM/BMcC)
In a statement released by Downing Street, the PM said the government had "strong reason to believe" that an Al Qaeda cell in Mali had murdered Edwin Dyer.
"I utterly condemn this appalling and barbaric act of terrorism," he added.
Mr Dyer had been kidnapped in Niger in January, but was being held in Mali.
The group said it would kill him if the UK government refused to release radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada from a British jail.
Last month, the group made a posting on the website saying Abu Qatada must be released within 20 days or Mr Dyer would be killed.
Reports claimed the hostage had been beheaded by his captors.
On a website used by al Qaeda-linked groups, a statement read: "The British captive was killed so that he, and with his the British state, may taste a tiny portion of what innocent Muslims taste every day at the hands of the Crusader and Jewish coalition to the east and to the west."
Mr Brown said: "I want those who would use terror against British citizens to know beyond doubt that we and our allies will pursue them relentlessly, and that they will meet the justice they deserve.
"I have regularly discussed this case with the president of Mali - he knows that he will have every support in rooting al Qaeda from this country."
Jordan-born Abu Qatada, described by a Spanish judge as the 'right-hand man in Europe' of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, has been held in Britain since 2005. He denies belonging to the group.
Britain has described him as a "significant international terrorist", however, said it does not have enough evidence to put him on trial.
(JM/BMcC)
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