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Exclusive: Peter Moore says Foreign Office, not kidnappers, wanted media blackout

By Channel 4 News

Updated on 11 March 2010

The Foreign Office says Peter Moore's captors demanded a media blackout after his kidnap. But the IT consultant suggests to Channel 4 News this was not the case.

Peter Moore

In the weeks following the kidnap of Peter Moore and four British security guards in May 2007, a media blackout was imposed – at the insistence of the kidnappers, according to the Foreign Office.

But Peter Moore's version is different. "All the way through," he tells Channel 4 News, "I was always told it was the British embassy that wanted the media blackout.

"Certainly, there was frustration on the part of the militia, which ultimately led to that TV video being released in December.

He continues: "From what I can understand, the British embassy had told the militia, 'Don't go to the media. If you want to do an exchange, you know, keep it quiet. We will negotiate with you.'

"The frustration on the part of the militia was that they felt they complied with everything the British want, but they still weren't prepared to give them what they wanted.

More on Peter Moore and the British hostages in Iraq
- Iraq hostage Alan McMenemy still missing
- Fifth hostage to be ‘released’
- Peter Moore returns to Britain
- Hostage Peter Moore released alive
- Five Britons kidnapped in Baghdad
- Timeline: Iraq hostages

Peter Moore confirms that the hostage takers were getting frustrated that nothing was happening, despite complying with everything the British embassy had asked them to do. "I think they felt quite annoyed by that," he tells Channel 4 News home affairs correspondent Andy Davies.

"And certainly, from our perspective as well, we were saying to them, 'Look, nothing's happening. Go to media. See what happens then.'

"To be fair, we were a little shocked when they said if Britain doesn't withdraw its troops, they'll executive one of us or all of us or some of us. We were a little bit surprised by that."

The Foreign Office told Channel 4 News: "The hostage takers requested no publicity within the first two months of this kidnap. They later issued videos of the hostages. This is a common tactic to put pressure on the authorities and families, and inevitably causes distress.

"We continue to do all that we can to secure the return of Alan McMenemy. We call on the hostage-takers to give clarity on Alan's fate as soon as possible."

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