Iraq hostage Peter Moore released alive
Updated on 30 December 2009
IT consultant Peter Moore is freed in Iraq two and a half years after he was kidnapped along with four other men by militants in Baghdad, the Foreign Office announced today.
The government confirmed today that Moore has been handed over to British authorities in Baghdad.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Moore is "in good health despite many months in captivity" and is "to put it mildly absolutely delighted at his release".
The foreign secretary added said that he had a "very moving" conversation with Moore adding that the former hostage was in a "remarkable frame of mind".
Moore, aged 36, was in a group of five British men snatched by gunmen outside a government building in Baghdad in May 2007. He was installing asset tracing software at the Finance Ministry at the time.
Hostages Jason Creswell, Jason Swindlehurst and Alec Maclachlanwere shot dead and their bodies returned to Britain earlier this year. Security guard Alan McMenemy is also believed to have been killed.
Moore's father Graeme said he was "over the moon" at the news.
"We are so relieved and we just want to get him home, back now to his family and friends. I'm breaking down, I'm just so overjoyed for the lad. It's been such a long haul."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the news was a "huge relief".
"I am hugely relieved by the wonderful news that Peter has been freed, and will be reunited with his family as quickly as possible. They have faced a terrible ordeal, and I know that the whole nation will share their joy that he is coming home. I pay tribute to all those who helped in the protracted effort to secure the release.
"At this moment of celebration, we also remember the families of British hostages who have been killed in Iraq and elsewhere. And we pledge to continue to do everything we can to bring British hostages back to their loved ones, including the remaining hostage of the group in Iraq, Alan McMenemy. I demand that the hostage takers return him to us."
Moore, an IT consultant from Lincoln, had been working for BearingPoint, an American management consultancy. Another British BearingPoint contractor was working alongside Moore on the day of the kidnapping, but escaped capture after hiding in the building.
Earlier this month Moore's family told Channel 4 News they were "confident" he was still alive as they prepared to spend a third Christmas without him.
Moore's step-parents Pauline and Fran Sweeney said after such a long time it would be "absolutely devastating if he didn't come home now".
"We have to believe that. It's been a long time," Fran said.
The couple issued a new plea for Peter's captors to release him in time for Christmas.
Pauline described the last three years: "It's just been a total rollercoaster of emotions. Some days you have better days, I won't say good days. Some days you have really bad days. Times of celebrations - birthdays, Christmas - times when we would have all been together as a family, have been very difficult.
"Thank God we've had the other familes to get through it with us. They're the only ones that understand what we're going through."
