• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Iraq Qaeda says will kill kidnapped Egypt envoy-Web

Posted on: Wednesday, 6 July 2005, 09:49 CDT

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.

Source: REUTERS

More News in this Category