Report: Egyptian ambassador in Iraq most probably alive
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Ilam, July 21, IRNA
Egypt-Ambassador-Iraq
Managing director of Egypt's telecommunications network in Iraq told an Iraqi TV network Wednesday, "Egypt's Ambassador in Iraq Ihab Sharif is most probably still alive." Iraq's al-Fayha'a TV quoting the Egyptian official added, "I was also in touch with the kidnappers of five Egyptian employees of Iraq's Iraqona Telecommunications Network a while ago and my mediation led to their release."
The Egyptian official whose name is not mentioned in the report did not give any further details about the nature of his talks with the kidnappers, their nationality, or the reason why he thinks his country's envoy in Iraq, the news on whose being slain was broadcast internationally, might still be alive.
Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda, led by Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi that initially broadcast the news on Ihab Sharif's beheading on its website a fortnight ago had also claimed responsibility for the barbarian move.
The mobile phone network in the Baghdad area is operated by Orascom subsidiary Iraqna.
Ihab al-Sharif, 51, was kidnapped on July 2 in Baghdad and the roup of Al-Qaeda's Iraq front man Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed his murder five days later, labeling him "the ambassador of the infidels" and citing a previous diplomatic posting in Israel.
Sharif's body has yet to be recovered by the Egyptian authorities.
However Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit was quoted by the independent Al-Masri Al-Youm as saying that "there is a slim chance that we may find Ihab al-Sharif alive."
"However the information we all have is that he was most probably martyred."
2329/1422
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
