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Al Qaeda says kills Egypt envoy in Iraq-Web

Posted on: Thursday, 7 July 2005, 09:05 CDT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda group in Iraq said in an Internet statement on Thursday it killed Egypt's top envoy to Iraq who it had kidnapped, claiming he represented a "tyrannical" government allied to the "Jews and Crusaders."

"We al Qaeda in Iraq announce that the judgment of God has been implemented against the ambassador of the infidels, the ambassador of Egypt. Oh enemy of God, Ihab el-Sherif, this is your punishment in this life," said the group, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

The group posted a video showing the hostage speaking but did not show the actual killing.

On the video, Sherif appeared blindfolded. He identified himself by name and said he was the head of the Egyptian mission in Iraq and also carried the rank of ambassador at the Egyptian foreign ministry.

"Previously...I was deputy to the Egyptian ambassador to Israel," Sherif said on the video in which he appeared alone without militants.

Al Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq said it would provide details of Sherif's interrogation.

"The ambassador of the infidels gave information that showed the infidelity of his regime and his allegiance to the Jews and Christians," the group said in a statement.

The Sunni Muslim group announced on Wednesday that it would kill Sherif and also warned that other envoys would face the same fate. It has in the past beheaded foreign captives, including two Americans and a Briton.

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

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