Man 'frightened off' paying Hassan ransomMaurice Chittenden, London
January 02, 2006
A MILLIONAIRE who wanted to pay a ransom for the release of Margaret Hassan, the British aid worker kidnapped in Iraq and later murdered, was allegedly intimidated into dropping his offer.
Former British Conservative MP Matthew Parris claims "frighteners" were put on the man and he was warned that his own family could be kidnapped next.
Parris refused to elaborate on who made the threats, but the implication is that it involved British government officials.
The Foreign Office, which has a policy of not paying ransoms in any hostage situation, said it was unaware of any ransom demand in the Hassan case.
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