Arafat intervenes to secure Bigley’s release

[Gman]

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has interfered to secure the release of Kenneth Bigley, the British hostage in Iraq, his brother Paul Bigley said, describing the move as "fantastic news".

Asked in the Netherlands where he lives, Paul Bigley told the ITV News that Arafat's interference was the biggest progress yet made in the campaign to secure the release of his brother.

Paul Bigley said that a Palestinian envoy to Ireland had contacted him and told him that Arafat had written to a Palestinian minister who lived for some years in Iraq to "do everything possible" to save Bigley.

http://english.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_ID=4971

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Arafat's stature will rise immensely if this works out. This will undercut Sharon and Bush's demonization of Arafat. Arafat is no angel by any standard. But this is a dose of much needed compassion in a part of the world that is in such turmoil.