There has been no word on Mr Bigley since this video was aired

Libya's official media reports Colonel Gaddafi has also urged Britain and the US to free Iraqi women prisoners.

"I launch an appeal to the hostage's kidnappers, because his family has turned to us. We ask them to free this poor Briton," Colonel Gaddafi said.

Mr Bigley's brother Paul said he had been contacted by an aide of Colonel Gaddafi earlier on Wednesday.

He is working on the case and we hope to have a fruitful outcome Paul Bigley

Colonel Gaddafi was quoted as saying: "If (the kidnappers) have conditions, let them inform us of them through any means."

"At the same time, we ask for the British government to use all its influence with the interim Iraqi government and its ally America to free Iraqi prisoners, which is the kidnappers' condition."

Contact

The Libyan leader urged the kidnappers to "make contact with us through a party who is not unknown or who is not accused of terrorism".

Paul Bigley told BBC News Online: "He (Colonel Gaddafi) is working on the case and we hope to have a fruitful outcome.

"We just want the nightmare to be over and to get back to a routine."

On Tuesday, Colonel Gaddafi's son said he had been contacted by the Bigley family and asked for help.

"We, in turn, contacted our friends in Iraq, because we still have a presence in al-Fallujah and manage a hospital there," Syaf Gaddafi said.

Paul Bigley has been in contact with an aide to Colonel Gaddafi

"We have good relations with tribal chiefs and religious leaders in the town and asked for their help. I think that matters are progressing well at present."

Mr Bigley, a 62 year-old engineer from Liverpool, was taken hostage on 16 September by the hardline Tawhid and Jihad group, along with two American colleagues who were beheaded a few days later.

He was last seen alive in a video broadcast last week, pleading for Prime Minister Tony Blair to help him.

An Iraqi cleric has claimed to have met Mr Bigley last Saturday.

Syed al-Kareem said part of the reason Mr Bigley had not been executed was because his captors were trying to determine if he is Irish or British.

Ireland has granted a passport to Mr Bigley, whose mother was born in Dublin.