CIA agent beheaded
2004-08-11 21:27
Cairo - An Islamic web site carried a videotape on Wednesday that appeared to show militants in Iraq beheading a man identified as a CIA agent.
The authenticity of the videotape could not be verified immediately.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said CIA officials have accounted for all employees and no one is missing.
US officials were working to determine if the tape was authentic, the official said.
The internet site, regarded as a clearing house for tapes and statements by Islamic extremist groups, displayed footage of eight militants surrounding a seated man who wore a sign around his neck bearing his photograph and the letters CIA along with the word "visitor".
The footage, which lasted about four minutes, showed several scenes, including a masked militant holding a large knife to the captive's throat while they were apparently inside a room of a building.
In another scene, men were heard talking in Arabic around the captive until one broke into the conversation saying "open your eyes" repeatedly.
Later, the man was showing seated on a chair in what appeared to be the courtyard of a house surrounded by eight masked militants.
In a subsequent shot taken seconds later, a masked man was shown standing alongside the captive holding a large sabre-like sword before chopping repeatedly at his neck and severing the head.
The militant later held the head aloft as the voices of other men were heard yelling several times "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great). - Sapa-AP
- SAPA