"Great to be free" British Iraq hostage says

BAGHDAD, Mar 23 (Reuters) ''It's great to be free,'' rescued British hostage Norman Kember said after he and two Canadian fellow peace activists were released in Iraq today.

''I'm looking forward to getting back to the UK,'' the 74- year-old Christian pacifist from London added in a brief statement released by the British embassy in Baghdad.

''Norman Kember is smiling and happy and is relaxing with British diplomats,'' embassy spokeswoman Lisa Glover said.

Kember and Canadians Harmeet Sooden and Jim Loney were rescued by British-led forces early today after four months in captivity. Their American colleague Tom Fox was tortured and killed this month.

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