Father's torment

Colin Hutton • Published 5 Jan 2010 13:00

THE dad of a hostage - whose fate remains uncertain - has been speaking of his turmoil as he waits for some definite proof of his son's life or death.

Dennis McMenemy, from Dumbarton, has been told by the UK Government that his 34-year-old security guard son Alan - who was kidnapped in Iraq along with freed hostage Peter Moore - is likely dead.

But over the weekend a respected clergyman based in Baghdad, who has been involved in negotiations with the kidnappers, has given the family a glimmer of hope that this may not be the case. Canon Andrew White revealed that in the lead-up to the release of IT consultant Mr Moore last week he had been led to believe that Alan could still be alive.

This week anguished Dennis said: "I believe he is still alive and that is what I have got to hang on to even though I have been told he is dead.

"Who do I believe?

"I'm being told he's dead, then I'm told by Canon Andrew White that he might be alive - not a thousand per cent, but I have to hang on to that.

"I need this to be over - it is killing me."

Alan, who previously served in the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute regiment, was kidnapped along with three fellow security guards and Mr Moore in May 2007.

The bodies of Jason Cresswell, Alec MacLaughlin and Jason Swindlehurst were handed over last year, followed by Mr Moore's liberation on December 30.

The handing over of Alan, or his remains, is now being tied to the impending release of a leading member of a Shia militant group, the AAH or League of the Righteous, which held the five Britons.

Qais al-Khazali, the AAH leader, was transferred from US to Iraqi custody shortly before the release of Mr Moore, but has yet to be freed.

But this link with Al-Khazali has left Dennis even more torn about the fate of his son.

He said: "Why does Peter Moore walk out but Alan has not appeared?

"That's what I can't understand.

"Why not the two of them in return for the cleric?

"If, God forbid, he is dead, what has this been about?"

An Iraqi Government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said he hopes Alan will be handed over alive in the coming days, adding he had asked parties close to the kidnappers to "close the issue in a good way".

But a Foreign Office spokesman said: "Our position remains unchanged.

"We have believed for some time that Alan has been killed, and his immediate family have been told our view of his likely fate."

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 05 Jan 10

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