By inthenews.co.uk staff.
Forensic tests are taking place in Baghdad to determine whether a body handed to UK officials in Iraq yesterday is one of five hostages taken captive two years ago.
The bodies of two of the five British men have already been returned, with the Foreign Office telling families of two of the other men six weeks ago they were 'very likely' to be dead.
The body passed on to UK officials by Iraqi authorities on Wednesday is thought to be either Alec MacLachlan, of south Wales, or Alan McMenemy, of Glasgow.
The two men were employed as security guards to protect IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, who is still thought to be alive.
They and the two men already confirmed as killed, Jason Swindlehurst and Jason Creswell, were taken by armed men at the Iraqi ministry of finance in May 2007.
'My thoughts and those of all of my colleagues in government are, of course, with the families of the British men kidnapped in Iraq,' foreign secretary David Miliband said.
'We are in close touch and informed the families of all five hostages of these developments earlier this afternoon. It is particularly distressing for them again to hear bad news, without final confirmation, that one of their loved ones has died. We are determined to keep this period of uncertainty for the families to a minimum.'
Mr Miliband added that the distressing news would not deter the government from 'doing everything that we can' to secure the release of Mr Moore.
Forensic tests are taking place in Baghdad to determine whether a body handed to UK officials in Iraq yesterday is one of five hostages taken captive two years ago.
The bodies of two of the five British men have already been returned, with the Foreign Office telling families of two of the other men six weeks ago they were 'very likely' to be dead.
The body passed on to UK officials by Iraqi authorities on Wednesday is thought to be either Alec MacLachlan, of south Wales, or Alan McMenemy, of Glasgow.
The two men were employed as security guards to protect IT consultant Peter Moore, from Lincoln, who is still thought to be alive.
They and the two men already confirmed as killed, Jason Swindlehurst and Jason Creswell, were taken by armed men at the Iraqi ministry of finance in May 2007.
'My thoughts and those of all of my colleagues in government are, of course, with the families of the British men kidnapped in Iraq,' foreign secretary David Miliband said.
'We are in close touch and informed the families of all five hostages of these developments earlier this afternoon. It is particularly distressing for them again to hear bad news, without final confirmation, that one of their loved ones has died. We are determined to keep this period of uncertainty for the families to a minimum.'
Mr Miliband added that the distressing news would not deter the government from 'doing everything that we can' to secure the release of Mr Moore.
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