Hassan videotape warning

THE Iraqi kidnappers of Irish-born British aid worker Margaret Hassan have threatened to turn her over to the group that beheaded British hostage Ken Bigley.

The Arabic television network al-Jazeera said it had received a videotape saying Hassan would be handed over to al-Qaida associate Abu Musab Zarqawi within 48 hours if Britain did not withdraw its troops from Iraq.

More chilling, the network said it would not broadcast the full contents of the video because “of the hostage’s condition.”