On the kidnapping of the top Egyptian official envoy in Iraq
Iraq-Egypt, Politics, 7/5/2005

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.

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.

Previous Stories:
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  Iraq' ambassador accuses US Marines of intentionaly killing his cousin   (7/2/2005)
  Contacts between Americans and representatives for the gunmen in Iraq   (7/2/2005)
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  Abul-Gheit: Egypt sheds light on unity of Iraq   (6/22/2005)

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