American hostage found dead in Iraq

An American hostage who was kidnapped in Iraq last year with Briton Norman Kember has been killed.

The FBI confirmed that a body found in Iraq yesterday morning was that of Tom Fox, 54. There was no news of the other three hostages.

Mr Fox’s family has been notified, said US State Department spokesman Noel Clay.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to them,” he said. “The State Department continues to call for the unconditional release of all other hostages.”

Mr Fox was the one American among four Christian Peacemaker activists kidnapped last year in Iraq.

Al-Jazeera television broadcast footage on Tuesday of the three other activists purportedly appealing to their governments to secure their release.

The hostages seen in the brief video dated February 28 were Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, and Briton Mr Kember, 74.

Allan Slater, a Canadian member of Christian Peacemaker Teams, said at the time that he was disturbed not to see Mr Fox.

Mr Slater said in Baghdad: “We certainly are hopeful when we see three of our friends alive, but also it’s very distressing that we didn’t see Tom Fox, and I wouldn’t want to hide that because I’m sure it’s very distressful for Tom’s family and friends as well.”

The previously unknown Swords of Righteousness Brigades claimed responsibility for kidnapping the four workers, who disappeared on November 26.

The four had not been heard from since a videotape broadcast by Al-Jazeera on January 28, dated from a week before. A statement reportedly accompanying that tape said the hostages would be killed unless all Iraqi prisoners were released from US and Iraqi prisons. No deadline was set.

Iraqi and Western security officials repeatedly warned the activists before their abduction that they were taking a grave risk by moving around Baghdad without bodyguards.

Christian Peacemaker Teams had been working in Iraq since October 2002, investigating allegations that US and Iraqi forces abused Iraqi detainees. Its teams host human rights conferences in conflict zones, promoting peaceful solutions.