Canon White founded the inter-faith Centre for Peace in Baghdad

Canon Andrew White from Coventry Cathedral has returned from Iraq on the advice of the Foreign Office.

During his six years there he helped to found the inter-faith and inter-tribal Centre for Peace in Baghdad.

He said he was in constant touch with his team in Iraq which is working hard to secure the release of Mr Bigley.

A new video has just been released of the captive Briton.

Squatting down in a cage and dressed in an orange jumpsuit, Mr Bigley said his captors did not want to kill him, and pleaded for help from the prime minister.

'Number one priority'

The hardline Tawhid and Jihad group which seized Mr Bigley nearly two weeks ago beheaded two Americans kidnapped with him.

Ken Bigley in a video released by his captors

"Kenneth Bigley is now our number one priority," Canon White said. " We always have hope whilst we believe someone is alive, and we have had no information that suggests he is not alive."

Canon White told BBC News Online he hoped the Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat would now become involved in the situation. He said that could prove an important development.

"These men do not want money," he said. "They are seeking political goals."

Canon White, who spent three weeks each month in Iraq until leaving in August for his own safety, said he could not give more details of the negotiation processes for fear of jeopardising ongoing actions.