British Muslims urge safe release of UK hostage

9/23/2004 8:14:00 AM GMT

The British Network for Muslim and Public Affairs (NMPA) released a statement Wednesday demanding the immediate release of the British hostage, Ken Bigley, who is being held in Iraq.

"British Muslims condemn the horrific practice of kidnapping and beheading of civilians. Hostage taking, kidnapping of civilians and beheadings are not practices sanctioned by Isalm," the NMPA said in the statement.

The NMPA is a British Muslim organization that aims at promoting progressive and strategic political and public thinking among the Muslim community in Britain.

Earlier Wednesday, leading Muslim Parliamentarian Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn said; “We call for the immediate release of the British hostage Ken Bigley in Iraq and appeal to the sanity and the faith of the hostage takers,"

The NMPA statement stated that; "this action of yours is not from Islam. Muslims everywhere must unconditionally condemn such un-Islamic practices,"

It also stressed that the thoughts and prayers of the British Muslim community are with the family of Bigley and it hopes for his fast and safe release.

Bigley was abducted with two other Americans, Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley, last Thursday.

On Monday, the kidnappers posted a video footage on a Web site showing the apparent beheading of one of the Americans, Eugene Armstrong.

The same Web site said on Tuesday that the second American, Jack Hensley, had been executed.