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| Iraq-Jordan |
| On the kidnapping of the top Egyptian official envoy in Iraq |
| 2005-07-05 |
| In the course of the implications of the kidnapping of the chairman of the Egyptian diplomatic mission in Iraq, the Egyptian foreign ministry said it hopes that ambassador Eyhab al-Sharif will be treated as a "nationalist" that supports Arab causes, noting that al-Sharif had chosen to work in Iraq in order to serve the interests of the Iraqi people. Sources in both Cairo and Baghdad confirmed news on the kidnapping of the Egyptian ambassador who submitted his credential as the first Egyptian ambassador to Iraq following the collapse of the former regime. Sharif submitted his credentials to the Iraqi President Jalal al-Talibani by the beginning of June. News reports quoted witnesses as saying that Sharif was kidnapped as his car stopped to buy a newspaper from one shop in al-Jame'a ( university) area in the west of Baghdad. The witnesses explained that 8 persons rushed towards Sharif and beaten him on the head by a pistol. When the ambassador asked for help, persons in the shop got out, but the gunmen threatened them of using weapons against them and told them "he is an American spy," according to the witnesses. Diplomats expected that the Sharif kidnapping was a message from prevent other Arab states from establishing diplomatic relations with Iraq, especially as Egypt is the largest Arab state which furnishes for a complete diplomatic relations there. So far, no side claimed responsibility for the kidnapping which is considered the first against an ambassador in Iraq since the eruption of the series of kidnapping. UPDATE: On Tuesday, Al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the Egyptian diplomat, Ihab al-Sherif, in an Internet statement. "We, the al-Qaeda in Iraq, announce that the Egyptian ambassador has been kidnapped by our mujahedeen and he is under their control," said the statement posted on a Web forum used by Islamist groups. The Iraqi Islamic party condemned the kidnapping incident of the chairman of the Egyptian diplomatic mission to Iraq. The said party, which is considered the main Sunni parties in the country, called on the kidnappers of the Egyptian ambassador, in a statement, to release him immediately. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 Why hasn't Mubarak offered a couple of brigades of Egypt's finest to assist the Iraqi government in fighting those who have effectively declared war on Egypt by kidnapping their official representative? Even Egyptian soldiers should be a match for Zarquawi's goons. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2005-07-05 21:49 |