Al-Qaeda group claims abduction

2005-07-05 19:38

Dubai - The group of al-Qaeda's frontman in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed on Tuesday the recent abduction of Egypt's top envoy in Baghdad, Arab satellite television reported.

Ambassador-designate Ihab al-Sharif, 51, was kidnapped late on Saturday while walking alone on a Baghdad street, in the first abduction of a head of mission since the spate of foreign hostage-takings began.

Al-Arabiya television showed a copy of what it said was a brief statement making the claim, but which "carried no demands for (an eventual) liberation" of Sharif.

Within four days, Sharif has been kidnapped, Bahrain's envoy was wounded in a failed kidnap attempt, the Pakistani ambassador fired on and the Russian ambassador's car riddled with bullets.

Iraqi insurgents are attacking diplomats in Baghdad to isolate the government and dissuade Arab countries from raising their level of diplomatic representation, Iraqi officials and foreign envoys have said.

Zarqawi, who has a $25m US price on his head, has claimed responsibility for a large number of the attacks, kidnappings and murders in Iraq since the US-led invasion overthrew Saddam Hussein two years ago.

- AFP