Footage of what appears to be a Turkish hostage in Iraq being shot dead has appeared on the internet. The videotape shows a group of masked men standing over a figure, who is then shot in the head three times. The man identified himself as Murat Yuce, an employee of Turkish company Bilimtur. The company has confirmed it had an employee by that name.
It is not clear when or where he was kidnapped, or when the apparent killing took place. Following the tape's release, a Turkish lorry drivers' association announced it had stopped the transport of cargo to US forces in Iraq. In the video, the man said to be Mr Yuce reads a statement in Turkish, saying: "I have a word of advice for any Turk who wants to come to Iraq to work: You don't have to be holding a gun to be aiding the occupationist (sic) United States... Turkish companies should withdraw from Iraq."
Then the leader of the three masked men takes out a pistol and shoots him.
| How very brave of them, assholes. |
The men are standing in front of a banner which resembles that of Tawhid and Jihad - a militant group reportedly run by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian accused of a series of attacks in Iraq.
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