Hostage's husband pleads for her life

The husband of British charity chief Margaret Hassan today pleaded for her life to be spared.

"In the name of humanity, Islam and brotherhood, I appeal to the kidnappers to free her because she has nothing to do with politics," begged Tahseen Ali Hassan.

His plea was broadcast on an Arabic language news channel after footage of his wife, looking extremely distressed with her hands bound behind her back, was yesterday shown on another television station.

In today's broadcast on the Al-Arabiya station, Mr Hassan said: "I would like to tell the kidnappers that we are in the holy month of Ramadan and my wife has been helping Iraq since 30 years and loved this country."

Mrs Hassan's charity, Care International, today announced it had suspended its aid operation in Baghdad.

The 52-year-old aid worker, who holds Iraqi citizenship, was abducted by an un-named group on her way to work in Baghdad - but as efforts to trace her continued, it remained unclear whether she had been kidnapped by local bandits looking for a ransom or hardline Islamists.

Her chances of survival are far smaller if she has been snatched by a group similar to the Tawhid and Jihad gang which murdered British hostage Kenneth Bigley.

In an earlier interview with Al- Jazeera, her husband described her abduction outside her office. "Two cars intercepted her from the front and back," he said. "They attacked the car and pulled out the driver and a companion. Then they took the car to an unknown destination. " Geoffrey Dennis, chief executive of Care International UK, said there was no fresh news of Mrs Hassan today.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have heard so far nothing at all. We are doing everything we can. At the moment we have suspended operations, and we will continue to pull out of the country unless we can resolve this issue."

Mrs Hassan was one of 30 Iraqi nationals running Care's water supply, sanitation, health and school programmes.

Mr Dennis said: "We assess the security situation on a daily basis and we were happy for Iraqi nationals, which Margaret is, (to stay)."

He added: "She is married to an Iraqi, she sees herself as an Iraqi, she was very happy to remain there, doing a fantastic job."