Murdered aid worker Margaret Hassan was remembered today at a memorial service as experts warned her killing would cripple charity work in Iraq.
Kenmare Parish Priest Father Tom Crean
The 59-year-old hostage, an Irish-born British-Iraqi national, had been held in captivity since October 19 and is believed to have been shot by the militants holding her.
More than 1,000 mourners attended the service at Holy Cross Church in Kenmare, Co Kerry and heard Parish Priest Father Tom Crean state Mrs Hassan's death "pierces to the marrow of all our beings".
News of the killing, which emerged yesterday, prompted Sir Harold Walker, former British ambassador to Iraq, to say aid workers would be unwise to continue in Iraq for the time being.
Sir Harold, former chairman of the board of Mrs Hassan's employers, Care International, said: "I don't think it will have an impact around the world, there are so many good, dedicated people working for aid agencies like Care, they will carry on in very dangerous circumstances, but they would be very unwise and they won't carry on in Iraq at this time."
On October 28 Care said it was closing down all operations in Iraq following the kidnapping, and almost a week later the organisation Medecins sans Frontieres announced its staff would leave Iraq because of the "extreme risks" aid workers faced.
Meanwhile another aid expert said the murder confirmed warnings about US politicisation of aid.
Dominic Nutt, spokesman for UK-based Christian Aid, which operates extensively in Iraq, said: "Aid workers working in life-threatening areas across the world strive hard to maintain neutrality.
"This neutrality used to be the best guarantor of our safety and allowed us to work with all people in need - irrespective of their creed, race or political background.
"This crime provides more evidence of what we have most feared and consistently warned against - that the intentional politicisation of aid by the US-led coalition in Iraq and beyond, in the post 9/11 world, has destroyed this neutrality.
"As Margaret's death suggests, we are all now targets."
The memorial service took place in the birthplace of Mrs Hassan's mother Mary, and where her sister Geraldine lives with her family. It is understood that neither Geraldine nor her family attended.
Fr Crean told mourners: "This cold-blooded murder should not leave people without hope in their lives".
Tributes to Mrs Hassan's tireless charity work have been paid by the Prime Minister Tony Blair, his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern , Opposition leaders from both Britain and Ireland and the Muslim Council of Britain.