The British Foreign Office is seeking urgent clarification of the implications of yesterday's conviction of an Iraqi man in Baghdad in connection with the abduction and murder of Irish-born aid worker Margaret Hassan. Frank Millar, London Editor, reports.
As first reports emerged of Mustafa Salman al-Jubouri's jailing for life for aiding and abetting Ms Hassan's kidnappers, a spokeswoman for the foreign office said it was investigating the status of his conviction, while encouraging the Iraqi authorities to pursue any other leads in the case.
After two other men charged under the Iraqi penal code in relation to membership of armed groups walked free, Ms Hassan's family said the outcome was a betrayal of the 59-year-old aid worker - who had British, Iraqi and Irish nationality. She was abducted in October 2004 and shot dead a month later. Her body has never been recovered.
In a statement, her sisters and brother, Deirdre, Geraldine, Kathryn and Michael Fitzsimons, said they were "devastated and appalled" by the court's decision.
They again criticised the British authorities for their handling of the kidnapping and repeated their charge that the government's refusal to talk directly to the kidnappers had cost their sister her life.
The family said: "Their refusal to interview the kidnappers who were arrested by US forces on May 1st, 2005 leaves our family to draw one conclusion: they would have to admit to incompetence in this investigation. We feel that Margaret has been betrayed and that truth and justice have been denied.
"[ This] judgment gives a green light to all kidnappers and murderers in Iraq to continue their terrible deeds.
"Both the British and Iraqi governments should hang their head in shame."
The statement continued: "We ask all men and women of honour and compassion to plead with the British and Iraqi governments to recover Margaret's body. Margaret's loss is not only to her family but also to the Iraqi people for whom she worked tirelessly and for whom she gave her life."
The family thanked the Government and Labour Party TD Michael D Higgins for trying to help.
Contrary to some reports yesterday, the foreign office spokeswoman said they had informed Ms Hassan's family about yesterday's trial before the weekend. While understanding the family's criticisms of the British authorities' handling of the original hostage situation - and acknowledging "we can only imagine what it must be like for them" - the spokeswoman repeated that "everything that could be done was done" in the effort to secure Ms Hassan's safe release.
She also said they would "obviously listen" to any representations Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern might wish to make about the further disclosure of information about the strategies employed during the kidnapping.
However, the spokeswoman stressed that kidnap handling was "a very difficult operation" and said it was often possible to give only minimum information because they would almost certainly have to use those strategies again in the future.
In an earlier statement the foreign office said its strategy had been one of "personalisation and localisation", minimising Ms Hassan's connection to the UK. That was confirmed by Mr Ahern.