Two freed, one given life sentence in Hassan trial

An Iraqi man has been sentenced to life in prison in connection with the abduction and murder of Irish-born care-worker Margaret Hassan.

Mustafa Salman had been charged with aiding and abetting the kidnappers. The two other men involved in the case have been freed by the Baghdad court.

The 59-year-old, who had Irish, British and Iraqi nationality, was killed in 2004 after having been held hostage for over a month.

She had been working as country director for the charity Care International aid worker, and had lived in Baghdad for over 30 years. Her body has never been found.

Salman has denied any links with the kidnappers.

He told the judge that he took a plastic bag from the sheik of a mosque south east of Baghdad that he used to attend, but he did not open the bag for two months.

“I opened the plastic bag to find … the credentials of Margaret Hassan,” he said.

He said he returned to the sheik, who promised to take the bag later, but disappeared. He said security forces raided his house and found the bag.

Mrs Hassan, who was married to an Iraqi, was one of the highest-profile figures to fall victim to the wave of kidnappings sweeping Iraq.

Meanwhile, the family of Mrs Hassan are pleading with the UK government to help find her body.

They said all they want to do is bring her home and bury her with the respect that she deserves.