Hostage's father appeals for proof he's still alive

Published on Sunday 19 July 2009 22:15

THE father of a Scottish security guard being held hostage in Iraq has appealed for his son's captors to prove he is still alive.

The man, identified only as Alan from Dumbarton, is one of three remaining hostages seized in Baghdad in May 2007, the bodies of two others having been turned over to the British embassy in the capital last month. His father Dennis said: "I want to make a direct appeal to the hostage-takers to spare their lives. Please give me some hope and give me some proof, because not knowing is killing me.

"If I could just get word that he's still alive, then it would make all the difference.

"A video with today's date on it and him talking would make all the difference in the world. Other than that, any response I get I won't believe because they told us the other two were alive, and they had been in the ground for nine months."

Last month the bodies of Jason Creswell, 39, originally from Glasgow, and Jason Swindlehurst, 38, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, were passed to authorities in Baghdad. Dennis said there had been no contact from government officials since.

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We continue to work intensively for the release of the hostages still held in this highly-complex case, and are extremely concerned for their safety."