Iraq: Militants abduct Egyptian diplomat

A Egyptian diplomat was seized in Iraq by an unknown militants' group. The terrorists demanded Egypt not to cooperate with U.S.-led forces.

The Arabic satellite television station Al-Jazeera showed a video tape of Mohamed Mamdouh Qutb - the first diplomat known to have been abducted in a wave of hostage-taking that has swept Iraq - sitting in front of six masked men dressed in black, reports Reuters.

"The group said the abduction was in response to comments by Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif that Egypt is ready to offer its security experience to the temporary Iraqi government," Al Jazeera said.

An Egyptian diplomat in Baghdad, who refused to be identified, confirmed that Mohammed Mamdouh Helmi Qutb was kidnapped Friday. The diplomat said Qutb was taken while leaving a mosque.

The group however didn’t mention any threat against Qutb, who was wearing a pale, open-necked shirt.

Qutb, who said he was being treated well, added that the Egyptian mission in Baghdad was not cooperating with the U.S.-led occupation against Iraq and was only trying to help rebuild the country, the newscaster said