Iraq Qaeda says will kill kidnapped Egypt envoy-Web

DUBAI (Reuters) – Iraq’s al Qaeda group said on Wednesday
it would kill Egypt’s top envoy to Iraq who it had kidnapped,
according to an Internet statement.

“The sharia court of al Qaeda Organization in Iraq has
decided to hand over the apostate, the ambassador of Egypt
which is allied to Jews and Christians, to the mujahideen to
carry out the punishment of the apostate … and to kill him,”
said the statement posted on an Islamist Web site.

“The day has come for us to take revenge for our brothers
and Islam from the despots of Egypt and their patrons. This is
the fate of a country which has allied itself to Jews and
Christians and fought true Muslims, hurt them, displaced them
and violated sanctities,” the group said.

The statement could not be immediately authenticated.

Al Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq, led by Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed responsibility on Tuesday for Ihab
Sherif’s abduction. It has in the past beheaded foreign
captives.

Earlier on Wednesday, the group posted Web pictures of
Sherif’s identification cards, including his driving license,
foreign ministry and health insurance cards. The cards bore the
name, title and passport-sized pictures of the envoy.

Al Qaeda said the embassies in Iraq were “espionage
headquarters” to hunt down Arab mujahideen (holy fighters) in
Iraq.

“The despot of Egypt (President Hosni Mubarak) is the
greatest infidel of Arab despots and most cruel toward
Muslims,” the statement said.

The Egyptian mission chief, who was expected to become the
first Arab ambassador in Baghdad since the fall of Saddam
Hussein, was snatched by gunmen off a Baghdad street late on
Saturday.

Zarqawi’s group is one of the leaders of a bloody
insurgency against U.S. forces and the American-backed Iraqi
government. Most of the hostages taken by the group have been
killed.