Harrowing videos showed Hassan's distress

Aid worker Margaret Hassan was shown in three harrowing videos before her reported death at the hands of her Iraqi captors.

The most recent footage – released on November 2 – was so distressing that Arabic television station Al Jazeera refused to screen a section on humanitarian grounds.

It is understood the first part showed Mrs Hassan – director of operations for Care International in Iraq – pleading for her life directly to camera before suddenly fainting.

A bucket of water is then believed to have been thrown over her head and she is filmed lying wet and helpless on the ground before getting up and crying.

The shocking video tape showed Mrs Hassan, who had British, Irish and Iraq nationality, in a terrible state pleading for her life.

In the video, her captors threatened to hand the 59-year-old aid worker over to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who beheaded British engineer Ken Bigley.

Mrs Hassan’s family saw the shocking film and immediately arranged to meet Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Sister Deirdre Fitzsimons, who spoke on behalf of two other sisters and one brother, then made an an emotional plea for her release, stressing they had no influence over the British government’s actions.

Fighting back tears, she said their sister was an Iraqi and had dedicated her life to helping the Iraqi people.

Mr Ahern also made a direct appeal to her kidnappers. He said Mrs Hassan had no political associations and represented no-one but the vulnerable and the poor.

The charity worker’s husband, Tahseen Ali Hassan, a retired Iraqi economist, Care, British politicians and the Iraqi government have all called for Mrs Hassan’s release during the month-long ordeal.

The terrified captive, wh had lived in Iraq for more than 30 years, was also shown in two other videos released by her kidnappers.

During them she called for the release of all female prisoners in Iraq, for Care to close its offices in the country and to stop British soldiers being moved towards Baghdad.

In all videos she looked tired and was often crying. She addressed the camera directly as she repeated her captors demands.

The hostage ordeal forced Care International to shut down its operations in the country.

The global aid agency had been in Iraq since 1991, helping to maintain water systems in central and southern Iraq and feeding children in hospitals.

Aid agency Medecins Sans Frontiere has also pulled out of Iraq because of “escalating violence“.

MSF has 90 Iraqi staff and has been involved in some of Iraq’s most dangerous areas, including the cities of Falluja, Najaf and Karbala.