Body of UK hostage turned over to embassy

21 Jan 2012, 9:11 am   -   Source: AAP
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The body of a British hostage kidnapped in Iraq in 2007 has been turned over to the UK embassy in Baghdad, officials say.

The body of a British hostage kidnapped in Iraq in 2007 has been turned over to the UK Embassy in Baghdad, officials said.

Alan McMenemy was one of five men kidnapped by Shi'ite militants in a daytime attack outside Baghdad's Finance Ministry. McMenemy was part of a security detail guarding computer expert Peter Moore, who was released alive in 2010.

The bodies of the other bodyguards - Jason Swindlehurst, Jason Creswell and Alec MacLachlan - were returned in 2009.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said in a statement on Friday that his thoughts were with McMenemy's family and friends.

"They have waited so long for his return and I hope that this will allow them to find some peace after an ordeal that no family should ever have to suffer," Cameron said.

The statement did not provide any detail as to how or under what circumstances McMenemy's body was returned. He was long believed to be dead.

The Foreign Office released a statement on behalf of Mr McMenemy's widow, Roseleen McMenemy, which said the family would now be able to properly grieve for him.

She said: "Our families have suffered terrible uncertainty and distress over the past four years and eight months. We have worried about Alan every single minute of each waking day.

"We now know that we will shortly have Alan home again, this will allow us to properly grieve for him and we will draw some comfort from the fact that we have him home at last.

"I would like to thank my wider family, all our friends, colleagues, the many organisations and others too numerous to name who have stood with us over this most difficult of times. Without their support we would not have made it through these dark days.

"I would respectfully ask that we as a family are allowed the space and time to grieve in our own way, and if at all possible to attempt to return to some form of normal life."

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