TRIPOLI, Libya, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- A powerful Libyan charity organization that mediated for the release of a British hostage Saturday blamed the British government for his slaying in Iraq.
The International Gadhafi Charity Organization issued a statement saying the beheading of Kenneth Bigley by his captors in Iraq occurred because the British government asked the organization to halt its mediation efforts to secure his release.
The charity said its mediation efforts were showing "positive signs on the horizon," but London asked it to suspend its efforts "because it was working through other mediators."
The group, headed by Libyan leader Moammar Ghadhafi's son, Saif al-Islam, said the British government's request came 48 hours before the hostage was killed.
The statement said Saif al-Islam had telephoned Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and proposed releasing some of the female Iraqi prisoners in return for Bigley's freedom "to absolve the government of embarrassment of direct negotiations" with the kidnappers.
The organization said it proposed transporting the female Iraqi prisoners to Libya if their remaining in Iraq would embarrass the government in Baghdad.
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi had publicly appealed for the release of Bigley.
