Al-Qaeda 'kills British hostage'!

Edwin Dyer was seized after visiting a festival on the Mali-Niger border

Downing Street says there is "strong reason to believe" that a British citizen has been executed by al-Qaeda militants in North Africa.

Edwin Dyer was kidnapped in Niger in January, but was being held in Mali.

The group had said it would kill Mr Dyer if the British government refused to release radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada from a UK prison.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned what he called an "appalling and barbaric act of terrorism".

Abu Qatada is awaiting extradition to Jordan, where he was convicted of terrorism offences in his absence and faces life in jail.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mr Brown said: "We have strong reason to believe that a British citizen Edwin Dyer has been murdered by an al-Qaeda cell in Mali.

"I utterly condemn this appalling and barbaric act of terrorism.

"My thoughts are with Edwin Dyer's family. I offer them the condolences of the whole country."

Mr Brown said the killing reinforced Britain's "commitment to confront terrorism".

"I want those who would use terror against British citizens to know beyond doubt that we and our allies will pursue them relentlessly, and that they will meet the justice they deserve," he said.

Mr Dyer and a Swiss tourist were kidnapped in Niger, close to the border with Mali, after visiting the Anderamboukane festival on nomad culture.

They were captured along with several Canadian diplomats and a number of other European tourists, most of whom have since been released.

The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said Mr Dyer was believed to have been kidnapped by local tribesmen and sold on to Algerian members of al-Qaeda in Mali.

British officials had been using intermediaries to try to secure Mr Dyer's release, our correspondent added.

The militants posted a statement on an Islamist website announcing the killing.

"The British captive was killed so that he, and with him the British state, may taste a tiny portion of what innocent Muslims taste every day at the hands of the Crusader and Jewish coalition to the east and to the west," it said.

In a posting last month, the group said Abu Qatada must be released within 20 days or Mr Dyer would be killed.

BBC NEWS REPORT.