Zarqawi killed Koda - website

2004-11-02 14:35

Baghdad - The militant group of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility Tuesday for the beheading of a Japanese backpacker in a web posting on Tuesday, which included gruesome video footage of his death.

In the statement on an Islamist website, the al-Qaeda-affiliated group said the Japanese government had offered "millions of dollars" in ransom for the safe return of Shosei Koda, whose decapitated body was found last weekend in northwestern Baghdad.

"The world should know, from east to west, north to south that al-Qaeda is firm on its jihad, God willing, in spite of the Japanese government offering a ransom of millions of dollars," the statement said.

"If Japan wants to avoid what's waiting for it, then let it simply pull out its troops, who are allied with the Crusaders, from Iraq," the statement said. "Otherwise, it will sink... with the Crusaders and their apostate allies... in the hell of the mujahedeen."

Koda's decapitated body was found on Saturday evening in a field in northwest Baghdad. A video posted on the internet on October 26 said Koda had been kidnapped by al-Zarqawi's followers who vowed to kill him unless Japan withdrew its troops from Iraq. The Japanese government refused.

In the latest video, Koda was seated, with his arms bound behind him, on an American flag while one of three hooded men read a statement.

After they finished, they leaped on the young Japanese, raised his head by his hair and severed his head as they shouted: "Allahu Akbar!" or "God is great."

Al-Zarqawi's group is believed responsible for beheading a number of foreigners, including three Americans and a Briton.

- AP