A second American hostage has reportedly been killed by militants in Iraq.
In a statement posted on an Islamist website, the group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, announced the killing of Jack Hensley.
It comes a day after the group beheaded American Eugene Armstrong, who was also kidnapped along with Mr Hensley and Briton Kenneth Bigley last week.
Earlier, the British government appealed for the release of Mr Bigley in a message aired on Arabic satellite television channels.
A British official speaking on the Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya stations made it clear that Britain was not holding any Iraqi women prisoners and therefore could not meet the kidnappers' demands.
'The main point they are trying to address is about women prisoners. There are no women prisoners under the UK's control in Iraq,' a Foreign Office spokesman said.
Mr Bigley’s family had appealed to the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to intervene to try to save his life. Mr Bigley, a 62-year-old engineer, was kidnapped along with the two Americans in Baghdad on Thursday.
Last night, a video appearing to show the beheading of Mr Armstrong was released on a website. US officials later confirmed his body had been found.
