Wife of British hostage makes new appeal

The wife of British hostage Norman Kember made a fresh plea for his release today - and said grandson Ben kept asking for the…

The wife of British hostage Norman Kember made a fresh plea for his release today - and said grandson Ben kept asking for the 74-year-old peace campaigner.

Pat Kember made her latest televised appeal to the kidnappers via Al-Jazeera television. Her emotional words, spoken in a steady voice, were translated into Arabic.

"I am Pat Kember, my husband Norman has been missing now for six weeks," she said.

"I am very concerned about him.

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"He is 74 and without medication and I do hope he is keeping well. Not only me, but the whole family are feeling very upset."

Mr Kember, from Pinner, north west London, was seized along with three other Christian peace workers - two Canadians and an American - in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on November 26th.

The Swords of Righteousness Brigade, which has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, threatened to kill the group by December 10th unless Iraqi prisoners were released. The deadline was extended by two days but there has been no news of the hostages since it expired. The last time Mr Kember and his three colleagues were seen alive was on a video of the four released on December 7th.

In today's televised plea, Mrs Kember said her husband, a professor of medical physics, had travelled to Iraq to promote peace.

Friends and family of Mr Kember continue to pray for his safe release and placed an advert in an Iraqi newspaper over the Christmas period, asking for more information.

The Muslim Association of Britain has also joined in the calls for the safe return of the four hostages.

PA