LONDON, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- The Irish government on Tuesday granted an Irish passport to Briton Kenneth Bigley held hostage inIraq, amid hopes that it would help win the release of the 62-year-old engineer.

    "Mr. Kenneth Bigley's family has asked for an Irish passport tobe issued in order to help convince his kidnappers of his Irish citizenship," reports reaching here from Dublin quoted Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern as saying.

    "I am happy to agree to this request and I hope that it will contribute to the efforts to secure his release," Ahern said.

    According to Irish law, Bigley qualifies for Irish citizenship through his mother, who was born in Ireland.

    Bigley was kidnapped on Sept. 16 in Baghdad along with two Americans who have been beheaded by the captors related with the Tawhid and Jihad group, controlled by al-Qaeda suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

    The group claimed to be holding the 62-year-old engineer and demanded the release of female prisoners in Iraq.

    Ireland has been calling on the captors to release Bigley sincehe was abducted.

    Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has already made pleas on theArabic Al Jazeera satellite television channel to have the engineer released. Enditem