THE wife of Norman Kember, the freed Iraq hostage, said last night she was thrilled at news of her husband’s release after his 118 days in captivity.

Pat Kember said her husband had been “very emotional” during their first phone conversation since his release and that he had been primarily concerned about his family’s wellbeing. “He is very, very pleased to be free. He was very emotional in talking to me. I think he must have been very worried about me and the family.”

Mrs Kember added: “It’s wonderful news. I was getting pessimistic, I was beginning to feel nothing was happening.”

It was at 6.30am yesterday when Mrs Kember was woken by a phone call giving her the news that she had almost given up hope of hearing.

Even when Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, called two hours later to confirm that Mr Kember was safe, his wife hardly dared to believe it.

At Harrow Baptist Church, northwest London, where the couple have been lifelong members, there were scenes of jubilation at its coffee morning.

Shaggy Abdonshortley, 35, a pastoral worker, said: “People were shouting, jumping up and down, and crying. They were laughing and hugging. It was a picture of pure joy. I know the British are reserved, but there was no reserve this morning.”

Support runs deep at the church for the couple. Graham Sparks, of the Baptist Union, a friend of Professor Kember, said: “There are some that see it as irresponsible, but Norman understood what he was doing. True irresponsibility lies with those who create war in the first place.”

Speaking to New Zealand’s National Radio Live last night Mrs Kember said she had thought her husband was being “silly” when he first told her he was going to Iraq. “But on the other hand I knew he felt he must do something and he is getting old,” she said. “If he doesn’t do something specific it would be too late. But I thought he might be blown up by a bomb. I did not really expect him to be taken hostage.”

Mrs Kember said that she had not had the chance to ask him about his fellow hostages, adding that she was expecting him to phone again soon.

The Rev Bob Gardiner, the minister at Harrow Baptist Church, said it would take Mrs Kember a long time to get used to yesterday’s development. “She’s had to defend herself against her feelings for such a long time, through periods of silence and periods of bad news,” he said.

Before he left Professor Kember had given countless talks on peacemaking at the church. Mr Gardiner said: “I’d be delighted if one of our community was inspired by his story to go and try to bring peace. I might say to Norman, ‘Give it a week or two though before you head off to the Gaza Strip’. I’m not sure if Pat will let him go.”

For nearly four months the Kember family have endured hostage videos and deadlines on his life that passed without a word. But the past fortnight has been the darkest time, after Tom Fox, a fellow hostage, was found dead in Baghdad.

Geoffrey Whitfield, another friend, said: “I don’t think they have been apart for that long before in their lives. It’s just a feeling of pure joy, but people haven’t forgotten about Tom Fox, and they haven’t forgotten why Norman was there.”

Mr Gardiner said: “Easter is Norman’s favourite holiday. We will celebrate the Resurrection this year with especial joy.”

TAKEN HOSTAGE

• Hostages still missing include Jill Carroll, 28, a US reporter kidnapped on June 7 by gunmen who killed her translator

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