The British diplomat assassinated by terrorists was a distinguished soldier committed to peace who had never killed anyone during his 35 years in the Army, his heartbroken widow said today.

Even when he came under fire himself during a posting to Northern Ireland, Brigadier Stephen Saunders refused to shoot back for fear of injuring innocent bystanders, said his distraught widow, Heather.

She choked back emotion as she told reporters in Greece that her life had been shattered by the murder of her 52-year-old husband.

Brigadier Saunders was fatally wounded when he was ambushed by gunmen from the November 17 terrorist group as he drove to work at the British Embassy in Athens at 7.30am yesterday.

The terrorists today sent a statement to a newspaper claiming they had carried out the killing because of the Brigadier's role in Nato's bombing of Kosovo.

Mrs Saunders, who was flanked by the couple's daughters, Nicola, 15, and Catherine, 14, said: "Stephen was my life and our lives were so deeply entwined that today I stand before you half the person I was yesterday morning.

"Stephen was a wonderful loving man.

"He was a man committed to peace and throughout his 35 years in the Army, he never raised his gun to kill anyone.

Security was today being stepped up around defence minister Baroness Symons, who is visiting Athens, as Foreign Office investigators travelled to Athens to help the hunt for the killers. Scotland Yard have also been invited.