Web Site Shows ‘Beheading of American Spy’ in Iraq (Reuters)
An Islamic militant group posted pictures on its Web site on Wednesday of what it said was the beheading of a man it called a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency spy in Iraq. Army of Ansar al-Sunna’s site showed five sequential photographs of the apparent beheading and threatened the same fate for other people who it caught spying. It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the pictures.
The group said in an accompanying statement that Jamal Tewefic Salman, who became an U.S. citizen in 1980, confessed to be masquerading as a journalist in Iraq to spy on Islamic fighters for the CIA. “A group of mujahideen were able to kidnap a spy called Jamal Tewefic Salman, who got U.S. citizenship in 1980. He changed his name to Khaled Abdul Messih,” it said. “We have implemented God’s judgment on him and the accompanying pictures show his beheading. We call on those living off the blood of the mujahideen to repent to God and stop what they are doing … or else the mujahideen’s and God’s hands will reach their necks one by one,” it added.
Ansar al-Sunna has claimed many attacks since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last year but no official link has been made between the group and the attacks it has claimed. The group on Sunday showed individual pictures of 12 Nepalis it said it was holding in Iraq. Militants in the country have waged a campaign of kidnapping aimed at driving out individuals, companies and troops supporting U.S.-led forces and the new Iraqi interim administration. Scores of hostages have been taken. Some have been released but at least nine have been killed.
Reuters seems to be the only one with the story at the moment; I can’t find it on GoogleNews.
For background, see Report: CIA Agent Beheaded on Video (OTB, August 11).
(Cross-posted to Command Post)
