Video claims responsibility for killings

An Iraqi militant group has claimed responsibility in a website video that surfaced today for the killing of two American contractors, showing dark images of passports and other documents in their names.

Joseph Wemple, a builder from Orlando, Florida, and his boss, Dale Stoffel, vice president for international development for CLI USA, died in an ambush on December 8 outside Baghdad. CLI USA is a Pennsylvania-based engineering-construction contractor.

“A group of Jihad Brigades’ fighters set a trap on the Taji Camp road for members of the Pentagon and the American intelligence agency, the CIA, and those who had close ties with the American President Bush,” a masked man said, sitting at a table and reading from a statement. A masked, armed man stood behind him.

“Their vehicles were attacked, and we confiscated all their weapons and possessions, including Iraqi antiquities and classified documents,” the masked man said.