Terrorists sentence kidnapped diplomats to death

An internet statement posted today in the name of al Qaida in Iraq claimed the terror group has issued death sentences against two kidnapped Algerian diplomats, but there was no word on whether the punishment had been carried out.

Algerian diplomats Ali Belaroussi and Azzedine Belkadi were abducted at gunpoint on Thursday along with their driver in west Baghdad’s exclusive Mansour district, police and Algerian officials said.

The statement, which was posted on a militant Islamist website and could not be immediately authenticated, said al Qaida in Iraq’s “court” had issued sentences against both men yesterday.

“The court of al Qaida in Iraq has decided to carry out God’s verdict against the two diplomats from the apostate Algerian government … and ordered to kill them,” said the statement, which was posted and signed by Abu Maysara al-Iraqi, the al Qaida spokesman.

The statement did not provide any details on the status of the two diplomats.

Yesterday, Iraq’s interior minister said two people have been detained for questioning in connection with the kidnapping.