| ONE of two American hostages being held with a Briton in Iraq had been beheaded, a website statement said today. The claim, which could not be verified this morning, came after a 48-hour deadline set by the men's kidnappers passed. The short statement was posted by a website contributor using the pseudonym Abu Maysara al-Iraqi, who has put up past statements. It was signed in the name of Tawhid and Jihad and referred to suspected al-Qaeda operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, with whom the hostage-takers are believed to be linked. The statement said that al-Zarqawi "God protect him, has beheaded the first American". "The group will next behead the others." The posting promised video proof "soon, God willing". |