British hostage held in Iraq freed

Dec 30 2009

A British man held hostage in Iraq for over two-and-a-half years has been freed, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said.

Computer expert Peter Moore, 36, was kidnapped along with his four British bodyguards at the finance ministry in Baghdad on May 29, 2007.

Fears for his safety grew after the bodies of three of the security guards were handed over to the UK authorities.

But Mr Miliband confirmed that Mr Moore had been released and was in "good health".

He said: "Peter was set free by his captors this morning in Baghdad and delivered to the Iraqi authorities.

"He is now in the care of the British embassy in Baghdad."

Mr Miliband said he had a "very moving" conversation with Mr Moore, from Lincoln, adding that the former hostage was "to put it mildly absolutely delighted" at his release.

Mr Moore's father Graeme, 60, from Wigston, Leicestershire, said he was "over the moon" at the news.

He said: "We are so relieved and we just want to get him home, back now to his family and friends.

"I'm breaking down, I'm just so overjoyed for the lad. It's been such a long haul."