Al Qaeda in Iraq says it has killed two Algerian diplomats kidnapped last week, according to a website statement. The statement was posted on a site often used by the group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. It said: "The head of the Algerian mission Ali Belaroussi and the diplomat Azzedine Belkadi, whose government is ruling in violation of God's will, were killed." It claimed the envoys had been killed because of the Algerian government's repression of Muslims in their north African country. "We won't forget what Algeria did to Muslims, by killings, destruction and spilling their blood," it said.
Appearing on an Islamic site, the statement has not been independently verified. Mr Belaroussi and Mr Belkadi were kidnapped at gunpoint in Baghdad last Thursday. A video showing the pair in captivity and blinfolded, giving their names and addresses was released on Tuesday.
It was the first time they had been seen since being abducted. |