A video grab shows Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair making a statement from his countryside residence Chequers in Buckinghamshire, southern England October 8, 2004. Blair expressed his 'utter revulsion' on Friday over the beheading of Briton Kenneth Bigley in Iraq and said those who resorted to hostage-taking around the world must not be allowed to win. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, addresses a press conference at the Foreign and Commonwealth office in London in the wake of the murder of Ken Bigley in Iraq. (Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

A video grab shows Paul Bigley, the brother of British Iraq hostage Kenneth Bigley, making a statement at an unknown location in northern England October 8, 2004. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

(Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

   LONDON, Oct. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- British hostage Kenneth Bigley kidnapped on Sept. 16 by militants in Iraq has been murdered by the captors, Bigley's brother confirmed Friday.

   "We can confirm that the family has now received absolute proof that Ken Bigley was executed by his captors," Bigley's younger brother Phil Bigley said in a televised statement.

   Earlier reports said Bigley was killed on Thursday in Latifiya,a town south-west of Baghdad.

   Claiming that the family had experienced "three long weeks of waiting and three long weeks of agony", Phil said Bigley'sLiverpool-based family believed the government did everything possible to win the release of the 62-year-old engineer.

   However, Bigley's another brother Paul, who lives in the Netherlands, dealt with the hostage crisis differently,criticizing the way British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his government have handled the crisis.

   British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Friday offered condolences to Bigley's family over his death, criticizing the "barbaric" act of the militants.

   "Now that this terrible news has been confirmed I want to offer the family and friends of Kenneth Bigley my deepest condolences...This is a barbaric murder following three weeks of terrible suffering for his family," Straw said in a short statement.

   Analysts here said the killing of Bigley could fuel public and political anger against Blair over the US-led war against Iraq. Enditem