Silenced by fear (From Warrington Guardian)

Silenced by fear

A COLLEAGUE of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan has been gagged by his bosses.

Nick Southern, whose father lives in Plumley, has been banned from talking about Mrs Hassan amid fears for her life.

"We're very concerned that any British angle could be taken negatively," said a spokesman for charity Care International. "The less people who say anything the less chances there are for mistakes that could threaten her life."

Mrs Hassan, who is director of Care International's operations in Iraq, was abducted last week by gunmen in Baghdad.

Mr Southern, a former Knutsford schoolboy, worked with her in Iraq during the aftermath of the American-led invasion.

On Friday he emailed the Knutsford Guardian from Tanzania to say he could not to comment on their time together.

Only weeks ago Mr Southern told the paper that Care was keeping its work secret amid fears that its workers might be at risk. "We consider it too insecure for non-Iraq nationals and it is also very dangerous for our national staff who work quietly and carefully," he said.

Mrs Hassan, who has dual Iraqi and British citizenship, has provided aid in the region for more than 25 years.

She is married to Iraqi Tahsine Ali Hassan and has worked through Care for the past 10 years.

This week officials had yet to confirm if a terrorist group was holding her hostage. "As far as we know, Margaret is unharmed," said a spokesman. "Needless to say, we are doing whatever we can to secure her release. But equally, it would be unhelpful for us to comment further at this time."

Mr Southern spent about 10 years working to reduce poverty in east Africa's local communities.

Last year he helped to coordinate Care International's attempts to rebuild medical and water facilities in Iraq. But bosses later withdrew him and many other international staff after the situation became too dangerous. The humanitarian organisation has now temporarily suspended its Iraq programmes after Mrs Hassan's capture. "Margaret has had no involvement with the war, other than trying to assist people throughout the conflict," said a Care spokesman. "Before the war, she was outspoken in warning of the potential humanitarian cost of any military action."