The British government on Monday condemned the purported killing of an American hostage in Iraq, stressing that this kind of "appalling crime" would only strengthen its resolve in Iraq.

"The British government utterly condemns the kidnapping and murder of all innocent civilians...This appalling crime strengthens our resolve to work with the Iraqi government and people to bring security, civility and democracy to Iraq," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Americans Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley were abducted by gunmen last week from a house in Baghdad, together with Briton Ken Bigley.

A website claiming to be linked to the captors said late Monday that one of the American hostage has been killed. A nine-minute video carried by the website showed that the man being beheaded was Armstrong, an American construction contractor in Iraq.

On Saturday, the kidnappers said they would kill the three hostages unless all women prisoners in Iraqi jails were freed within 48 hours.

Source: Xinhua