Waite understands hostage kin's anger

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LONDON, June 23 (UPI) -- Former hostage Terry Waite says he understands why the father of one of the British men held captive in Iraq has expressed anger at the government.

Waite, who was held captive in Lebanon for five years and is the founder of Hostage U.K., which supports the families of kidnap victims, says it's reasonable that the father of Iraq hostage Peter Moore be upset at the so-far unsuccessful efforts to negotiate his release, The Times of London reported Tuesday.

But Waite added that publicity campaigns to free hostages don't necessarily help.

"I can understand the anger of Peter Moore's father, his criticism that the prime minister could call with concerns about the health of Susan Boyle but not call the father of a man kidnapped in Iraq," Waite told the newspaper. "There is a reasonable point in his desire for the Foreign Office to be seen to be doing more to help those being held hostage. But how the government responds to these situations is not always straightforward as it can be an extremely complex situation."

Waite pointed out that Moore's kidnappers, who abducted the computer consultant in 2007, initially demanded a media blackout.