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Thursday, July 07, 2005

Iraq signs military pact with Iran

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq signed a military pact with Iran on Wednesday in a breakthrough with a former foe, but al Qaeda said it would kill Egypt's kidnapped envoy and attack more diplomats to stop the government winning international support.

Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi signed a pact in Tehran agreeing to accept Iranian military training and other cooperation with the country Iraq fought for a decade under ousted leader Saddam Hussein.

Responding to the suggestion that the thaw in ties with Iran would anger Washington, Dulaimi said: "Nobody can dictate to Iraq its relations with other countries."

Iraq is anxiously trying to improve its ties with other Muslim countries to win legitimacy and undermine insurgent support. But mainly Sunni-led Arab states have been cautious about embracing the Shi'ite-dominated, U.S.-backed Iraqi authorities.

Al Qaeda's Iraq wing, led by Jordanian Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, said it would kill Egypt's top envoy Ihab el-Sherif, issuing photographs of personal documents as proof it held him.

Its statement referred to a "sharp sword against the infidels' ambassador," an apparent hint that he could be beheaded. It included no demands or possibility of negotiation. Zarqawi's followers have frequently filmed beheadings of captives for maximum political impact.

"The sharia court of al Qaeda Organization in Iraq has decided to hand the apostate, the ambassador of Egypt which is allied to Jews and Christians, to the mujahideen to ... kill him," said the group. Cairo did not comment on the statement.

Sherif's abduction off the streets on Saturday was the first in a series of strikes on diplomats.
Pakistan withdrew its ambassador from Baghdad on Tuesday after his motorcade was attacked by gunmen. Bahrain's envoy was shot in the hand in his car in an apparent kidnap attempt.

The al Qaeda statement threatened more such strikes.

"This will be the fate of ambassadors of the tyrannical states because Jihadist Iraq today is not secure for infidels ... and America cannot protect itself, let alone others."

BOMBS SOUTH OF BAGHDAD >>>continued

http://au.news.yahoo.com/050707/15/v0c1.html

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