THE parents of a North-East hostage victim spoke out last night after a British Islamic militant who has admitted abducting US journalist Daniel Pearl was linked to their son's kidnapping.

Keith Mangan, 34, from Middlesbrough, was kidnapped with fellow Briton Paul Wells and four others in Kashmir, in 1995, in an attempt by Islamic militants to get Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and 21 other terror suspects freed from Indian prisons.

An American hostage escaped and the headless body of a Norwegian was found, but the two British backpackers were never seen again and are assumed murdered.

Yesterday, Saeed, from Wanstead, east London, appeared with two others in court in Karachi expecting to be charged with the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

The men were remanded in custody for a further two weeks to allow police time to recover Mr Pearl's body. In a court appearance on February 14, Saeed admitted his abduction.

Mr Mangan's parents, Charles and Mavis, of Brookfield, Middlesbrough, told The Northern Echo that they hoped Saeed's arrest would lead to information about their electrician son's abduction.

"I just hope that they will interrogate them about Keith and Paul and the others, because I would like an end to it," said Mrs Mangan, 64.

"It's the same group that took our Keith who have done this and I feel so sorry for Daniel Pearl's wife. It just brings it all back."

Mr Mangan, 66, said: "My heart goes out to Daniel Pearl's wife and family. I was hoping that the lad would be all right."