A 74-year-old British peace activist who had been held by Iraqi gunmen for several months has spoken of his relief after he was freed from captivity today.
Norman Kember said it was great to be free, and he was looking forward to returning to Britain.
He was freed along with two Canadian nationals, James Loney and Harmeet Singh, in a military operation by multi-national forces.
The three had been taken hostage in Baghdad last November, along with American Tom Fox, who was found shot dead in the city two weeks ago.
The US military said two detainees last night had identified the kidnappers' location. Troops stormed it this morning and found the hostages.
The three freed men have been briefed by consular officials in Baghdad following their release.
Mr Kember is said to be in good health. The two Canadians required some hospital treatment.
Speaking in London, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw welcomed the outcome of the operation.
He also confirmed that British forces were involved, along with Iraqi personnel and civilians.
Insurgent attacks
At least 32 people have been killed in insurgent attacks in Iraq today.
23 people were killed, including ten police, and 35 were wounded in a suicide car bomb attack near the headquarters of Iraq's major crimes police unit in Baghdad.
The incident marked the latest in a string of attacks on security forces.
The attack was carried out at around 11am (8am Irish time) in the central Baghdad district of Wahda. The blast shook the surrounding area and sent a thick plume of smoke into the sky.
Another attack, apparently targeting security forces in a Shia district of the capital, killed five Iraqis, including a police commando, and wounded 22 others.
At least three other policemen were killed and five people were wounded in car bomb attack in the north of the city.
Another policemen was killed and three more injured by a roadside bomb in Babylon, 60km south of Baghdad.
