LIVERPOOL, Oct 8: A shocked city of Liverpool expressed its anger on Friday after it was confirmed that Iraqi kidnappers had killed one of its native sons, Kenneth Bigley.

"They are cruel evil bastards to make that man suffer for nearly four weeks," said John Williams, 34, a builder. "I feel very, very sorry for the family after what they have put his mother through."

Local officials declared Saturday a day of mourning, with two minutes' silence to be observed at midday and flags to be flown at half-mast. "I hope the city will come to a standstill tomorrow to express its sympathy and solidarity with Ken's family at this time," said Lord Mayor Frank Roderick.

When news of Bigley's appalling fate came, Ken's mother Lil, 86, had only recently returned to home to the Walton area of Liverpool from hospital after collapsing under the stress caused by her son's kidnapping.

Bigley was abducted in Baghdad on September 16 along with Americans Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong who were subsequently killed. Many on Lil Bigley's street felt it was too early to share their grief publicly.

The only significant presence on the streets, scampering past police officers and journalists, were schoolchildren either too young to know or to understand the horror of what had happened.

Family and friends gathered at the red-brick Victorian terrace house to offer comfort and support as Bigley's brothers, Stan and Philip, confirmed his death in a statement on television. -AFP