For one Arab living on the West Bank, the beheading of an American hostage in Iraq was a justified response to the treatment meted out to Iraqi prisoners by US troops. His view on the execution was echoed by many Arabs but others in the region called it barbaric and against the teachings of Islam.
âThis was a justified retaliation. The Americans had committed very ugly actions against the Iraqi people in general and Iraqi prisoners in particular,â said Mohammed AlBargouti, a 24-year-old security guard in the West Bank city of Ramallah. An Islamist Web site on Tuesday carried a video clip of the beheading, with a statement saying a group linked to Al Qaeda did it in revenge for the abuse of Iraqis by US troops. Several Islamist Web sites carried links to the tape and pictures of Berg before and after the execution. The video tape carried a statement said to be from Al Qaedaâs leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who said Bergâs killing was in reprisal for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners and ridiculed Muslim leaders for their failure to free Iraq. |