Higgins worried for Bigley

Labour Party spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Michael D Higgins has said he is concerned that the plight of British hostage Ken Bigley may slip from people's attention unless every means is pursued to try and secure his release.

Mr Higgins urged the new Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern to seek the assistance of his counterpart in Jordan.

The Jordanian government played a key role when 250 Irish nationals were held captive at a hospital in Baghdad in the early 1990s.

Mr Higgins said it is important to keep the lines of communication with Mr Bigley's kidnappers open and that Jordan may be able to help again in the case of the 62-year-old engineer, whose mother is Irish.