Hoon says insurgents won't deter coalition

LONDON, April 11 (UPI) -- Britain's Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said the kidnappings of civilians in Iraq would not deter or intimidate Britain or the United States.

"We can't afford to allow these extremists, these fanatics, to continue to kill," he told Sky News.

Kidnappers have threatened to kill citizen Thomas Hamill, a U.S. citizen that works for a private contractor, if U.S. troops do not leave of Falluja, Iraq.

Hoon also said the latest insurgency against the coalition forces would not interfere with the hand over of power to Iraqis planned for June 30, the BBC reported.