Ex-Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg: 'I tried to save Alan Henning'

Moazzam Begg claimed that he tried to help secure Alan Henning's release [PA]Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg offered to help negotiate with the so-called Islamic State in order to secure the release of murdered British hostage Alan Henning, he claimed today.

Mr Begg, who has just seen terror charges against him dropped, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he believed he knew who was holding the 47-year-old hostage – but the Government rejected his help.

He claimed that the Foreign and Commwealth Office (FCO) initially rebuffed his offer, although he was subsequently told he could deliver a message to the militant group through an intermediary of the Government's choosing.

Mr Begg said that he was approached by friends of Alan Henning after the aid worker was captured in December 2013.

After they asked if he could help secure the father-of-two's release, Mr Begg approached former FCO minister Alastair Burt.

He said that he explained to Mr Burt how he planned to contact people connected to IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, to try and secure Mr Henning's release.

Mr Begg said: "I sat with him and spoke with him for quite some time, we had exchanges, phone calls, text messages; in the end they said that they didn't need my help.

"I said that I didn't come here to seek your help, I simply came to register with you the interventions that I'm going to try to make.