Militants have killed the director of CARE International in Iraq, Margaret Hassan, whom they took hostage in Baghdad on October 19.

Arab network Al-Jazeera said it had "obtained a video showing a masked militant shooting a blindfolded woman, who was referred to as Margaret Hassan, in the head using a handgun. Al-Jazeera decided to wait on reporting the news until it confirmed the authenticity of the tape."

In London British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, "Our experts have been examining a video which appeared to show that Margaret Hassan has been murdered, to establish whether it is genuine.

"As a result of our analysis, we have today had to inform Margaret Hassan's family that, sadly, we now believe that she has probably been murdered, although we cannot conclude this with complete certainty."

He expressed his "deepest sympathy and condolences" to Margaret's family. "They have been through a month of the most terrible uncertainty and torment. To kidnap and kill anyone is inexcusable."

CARE issued a statement through a spokesman saying, "It is with profound sadness that we have learnt of the existence of a video in which it appears that our colleague Margaret Hassan has been killed. We are shocked and appalled that this has been the apparent outcome of her abduction."