Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
RABAT, Nov 5 (AFP) - Al-Qaeda in Iraq "has nothing to teach Morocco", the
foreign ministry said Saturday, standing by its decision to keep diplomats
in the restive country despite the insurgent group's threats to kill them
and two Moroccan hostages.
The Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda, headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and considered
the bloodiest of the insurgent groups, said in a statement on Thursday it
had decided to kill the two embassy employees, Abderrahim Boualem and
Abdelkrim Mouhafidi, kidnapped on October 20.
A "sharia (Islamic) court ... decided that they were without doubt loyalists
of the oppressors and elements of the apostate regime in Morocco," a
statement from the group read.
On Friday, the group called on diplomats in Baghdad to "pack their bags and
leave" or face certain death.
But the Moroccan foreign ministry said its embassy would not succumb to
"blackmail", particularly "coming from a terrorist group which cannot claim
to represent Iraq".
Al-Qaeda in Iraq "has nothing to teach Morocco, which is sovereign in its
political opinions and overseas decisions," the ministry said in a
statement.
Morocco also demands "the immediate and unconditional release" of the
hostages, the ministry added, accusing Al-Qaeda of using "so-called
religious references and fallacious political ideas" to justify notice of
the "cowardly execution" of the pair.
Boualem, a driver and father of three aged 55, and Mouhafidi, an agent aged
49, are both married to Iraqis and have lived in the country for around 20
years.
Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for their kidnapping on October 26 and
Zarqawi has said his group was also behind the capture and murder in July of
two Algerian diplomats and the Egyptian head of mission in Baghdad, Ihab
al-Sherif.
The Iraqi government has said the abduction and killing of foreign envoys
was aimed at undermining its legitimacy and has urged world governments to
remain resolute in the face of the dangers of being posted in Baghdad.
foreign ministry said Saturday, standing by its decision to keep diplomats
in the restive country despite the insurgent group's threats to kill them
and two Moroccan hostages.
The Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda, headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and considered
the bloodiest of the insurgent groups, said in a statement on Thursday it
had decided to kill the two embassy employees, Abderrahim Boualem and
Abdelkrim Mouhafidi, kidnapped on October 20.
A "sharia (Islamic) court ... decided that they were without doubt loyalists
of the oppressors and elements of the apostate regime in Morocco," a
statement from the group read.
On Friday, the group called on diplomats in Baghdad to "pack their bags and
leave" or face certain death.
But the Moroccan foreign ministry said its embassy would not succumb to
"blackmail", particularly "coming from a terrorist group which cannot claim
to represent Iraq".
Al-Qaeda in Iraq "has nothing to teach Morocco, which is sovereign in its
political opinions and overseas decisions," the ministry said in a
statement.
Morocco also demands "the immediate and unconditional release" of the
hostages, the ministry added, accusing Al-Qaeda of using "so-called
religious references and fallacious political ideas" to justify notice of
the "cowardly execution" of the pair.
Boualem, a driver and father of three aged 55, and Mouhafidi, an agent aged
49, are both married to Iraqis and have lived in the country for around 20
years.
Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for their kidnapping on October 26 and
Zarqawi has said his group was also behind the capture and murder in July of
two Algerian diplomats and the Egyptian head of mission in Baghdad, Ihab
al-Sherif.
The Iraqi government has said the abduction and killing of foreign envoys
was aimed at undermining its legitimacy and has urged world governments to
remain resolute in the face of the dangers of being posted in Baghdad.