Qaeda renews threat against envoys in Iraq – Web

DUBAI (Reuters) – Al Qaeda’s military wing in Iraq renewed
its threat to kill foreign envoys in Baghdad on Friday, a day
after it said it would kill two Moroccan embassy hostages.

Baghdad’s U.S.-backed government has asked other Arab
countries to restore full diplomatic relations with Iraq and
said it would set up a protected zone for diplomats to live and
work in safety.

Al Qaeda has repeatedly said it would treat these envoys as
collaborators with “an infidel government.”

“And despite our early and public warning to these envoys
in Baghdad, and even after we targeted them, they are still
here, blinded by betrayal of their religion,” said the
statement, posted on a Web site used by al Qaeda’s Iraq leader,
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

“Therefore, we are renewing our warning to all those
diplomatic envoys who insist on staying in Baghdad …
especially those countries that have announced their support
for this heretic government.

“And we will spare no effort to track them down and seek
our revenge, whoever they are and wherever they are — like we
have done with those before them.”

Earlier this year, Zarqawi’s group killed two Algerian
diplomats working in Baghdad. Al Qaeda also said it had killed
an Egyptian diplomat, leading Egypt to reduce its mission in
Baghdad to a skeleton staff.

On Thursday Morocco’s Foreign Ministry denounced al Qaeda
for declaring in an Internet statement that it planned to kill
two Moroccan hostages because of their country’s support for
the Baghdad government.

The hostages are driver Abderrahim Boualam and assistant
Abdelkrim El Mouhafidm.

The group said in Friday’s statement it saw no difference
between the head of a diplomatic mission and junior staff.

“So, they should pack their bags and leave from the midst
of crusaders and from this criminal government,” the group
said.

The statement’s authenticity could not be verified, but it
was signed by al Qaeda’s spokesman in Iraq.

More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been
killed since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.