Miliband defends hostage strategy
Updated on 22 June 2009
Foreign Secretary David Miliband tells Jon Snow that the government is using the "best conceivable strategy" in trying to secure the release of the remaining British hostages in Iraq.
After the bodies of two of the five captives were handed over to the Iraqi authorities this weekend, the father of one of those still in captivity has criticised the way the government has handled the negotiations.
Graeme Moore spoke of his anger at the government's handling of the case, calling Foreign Secretary David Miliband a "total waste of space".
His comments come after the remains of Jason Creswell, originally from Glasgow, and Jason Swindlehurst, originally from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, were identified after being handed over to authorities in Baghdad. They were among a group of five Britons who were kidnapped in Baghdad in May 2007.
The fates of IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, and two other guards named only as Alan, from Scotland, and Alec, from South Wales, is still unknown.
He told GMTV: "We got the message yesterday morning that (the bodies) had been identified and Peter wasn't one of them, which gives me and Peter's friends hope. But unfortunately it isn't good for the other two families."
Mr Moore criticised the Foreign Office for not doing enough to help the men.
"They haven't done anything. They should have been straight in directing negotiations right from the beginning.
"(Mr) Miliband is a total waste of space," he added.
In an interview with Jon Snow, David Miliband defended the government's actions.
"We have designed the best conceivable strategy to get those people home to their loved ones...It is right to say everything is being done for the three remaining hostages," he said.
