World leaders, Liverpool neighbours condemn killing of British Iraq hostage

LONDON, Oct 8 (AFP) - World leaders denounced the killing of 62-year-old Briton Kenneth Bigley, held hostage in Iraq for three weeks, while in his native Liverpool local officials declared Saturday a day of mourning.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared on television late Friday to express his "utter revulsion" at the killing of Bigley, and declared that such actions "in Iraq or elsewhere should not prevail".
"I feel utter revulsion at the people that did this, not just at the barbaric nature of the killing but the way, frankly, they have played with the situation over the last few weeks," Blair said.
"And I feel a strong sense, as I hope others do, that the actions of these people, whether in Iraq or elsewhere, should not prevail over people like Kenneth Bigley, who, after all, only wanted to make Iraq and the world a better place," he added.
Bigley, an engineer abducted on September 16 with two American colleagues killed soon afterwards, was the victim of a "barbaric murder," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, as he revealed for the first time that contact had been made with his captors.
"Now that this terrible news has been confirmed I want to offer the family and friends of Kenneth Bigley my deepest condolences," Straw said.
"This is a barbaric murder following three weeks of terrible suffering for his family," he said.
Bigley's family confirmed Friday that he had been killed by his captors, after Abu Dhabi television revealed that it had received, but would not broadcast, a gruesome video of the execution.
The killing of Bigley was condemned as a "callous murder" by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose government recently issued an Irish passport for him.
Ahern, attending Asia-Europe Summit in Vietnam, said the perpetrators had shown "a total lack of mercy and humanity and in doing so have reached new depths of barbarism".
French President Jacques Chirac, who is on a visit China, sent his "most sincere condolences" to the Bigley's family.
Italy's President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi on Friday condemned the execution as "barbaric".
"We are faced with a series of acts which are offensive and humiliating to human dignity," Ciampi said.
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos voiced his "total condemnation of the barbaric act."
The US embassy in Iraq denounced the killing with embassy spokesman Bob Callahan saying: "We absolutely condemn this savage act. It is truly barbaric. We send our condolences to the family."
The UN Security Council strongly condemned a recent wave of "terrorist attacks," including the killing of Bigley.
"The council urges all states ... to cooperate actively in their efforts to find and bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors of terrorist acts," the council said in a declaration.
The leader of Britain's opposition Conservative Party Michael Howard also condemned the "grotesque barbarity of those who have taken Ken Bigley's life."
The Muslim Council of Britain, which sent two envoys to Iraq to help secure Bigley's release, said it was appalled by his killing.
"We are appalled and profoundly saddened by the cold-blooded murder of Kenneth Bigley after a protracted period of mental torture and anguish," said the council, the main voice of Britain's two million strong Muslim community.
The engineer, only months away from retiring to set up home with his Thai wife Sombat, was a proud Liverpudlian and a staunch supporter of the city's Everton football team.
"Our thoughts are with Ken Bigley's family in this dark hour," said Liverpool City Council leader Mike Storey.
"They have remained brave, strong and resolute throughout this ordeal, never losing hope," he said.
Bells were to be rung later Friday at Walton church at the end of the road from Bigley's family home.
Straw was rushing to the port city as the appalling brutality of the situation in Iraq hit home like never before with the news of the murder, the first of a British hostage by extremists in Iraq.