In article <pp44a0dd0v7dgvvbji2ja4bsal0ji05egn@4ax.com>,

Qaeda Leader Beheads U.S. Civilian in Iraq

Reuters | May 11 2004

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq beheaded an American
civilian and vowed more killings in revenge for the "Satanic
degradation" of Iraqi prisoners, an Islamist Web site said on Tuesday.

A poor quality videotape on the site showed a man dressed in orange
overalls sitting bound on a white plastic chair in a bare room, then
knelt on the floor with five masked men behind him.

"My name is Nick Berg, my father's name is Michael... I have a brother
and sister, David and Sarah," said the bound man, adding he was from
Philadelphia.

One of the masked men read a statement urging Muslims to seek revenge
after pictures were published of Iraqi prisoners being abused by U.S.
troops at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.

"Nation of Islam, is there any excuse left to sit idly by? And how can
free Muslims sleep soundly as they see Islam being slaughtered, honor
bleeding, photographs of shame and reports of Satanic degradation of
the people of Islam, men and women, in Abu Ghraib prison?" the
statement said.

The masked men then pushed the 26-year-old American to the floor and
shouted "God is greatest" above his screams as one of them sawed his
head off with a large knife then held it aloft for the camera.

The Web site said Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a top ally of al Qaeda leader
Osama bin Laden, was the man who cut off Berg's head. The statement in
the video was signed off with Zarqawi's name and dated May 11.

Jordanian-born Zarqawi, 37, has raised his profile and status as al
Qaeda's most active operational leader with a series of suicide bombs
and attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq.

A body found in Baghdad over the weekend was identified on Monday as
Berg before the videotape was released.

"Berg's body was found with his hands behind his back and beheaded,"
said another U.S. official who declined to be identified. "The body
was found along a roadside by a U.S. military patrol."

"This shows the true nature of the enemies of freedom," White House
spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters. "They have no regard for the
lives of innocent men, women and children. We will pursue those
responsible and bring them to justice."

MILITANT STATEMENT
Photographs shown around the world of naked Iraqi prisoners stacked in
a pyramid or positioned to simulate sex acts at Abu Ghraib prison have
provoked international anger and pose a serious setback to U.S.
efforts to stabilize Iraq.

President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have both
apologized and pledged to punish those responsible but both
governments have come under pressure for senior ministers to take the
blame for the abuse.

The militants' statement, addressing families of U.S. soldiers, said
Zarqawi's group had offered Washington to swap Berg for Iraqi
prisoners held by U.S. troops "but they refused."

"You will only get shroud after shroud and coffin after coffin
slaughtered in this manner," it said.

"As for you Bush, dog of the Christians, anticipate what will harm
you... You and your soldiers will regret the day you stepped foot in
Iraq and dared to violate Muslims."

The murder was condemned by the Council of American-Islamic Relations,
a U.S.-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group.

"We condemn this cold-blooded murder and repudiate all those who
commit such acts of mindless violence in the name of religion," it
said.

It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the tape
carried on the Muntada al-Ansar Islamist Web site, but the CIA was
reviewing the video for clues of who was responsible, a U.S. official
said.

"He was a private American citizen not associated with a military
contract," said a State Department official.

Berg had been missing for several weeks. He was last heard from on
April 9 when he telephoned his parents. He said he was trying to find
a safe way home after trying to find work as an independent
communications contractor.

"The Berg family is devastated by this loss. They want to extend their
sympathy to other families who have also suffered," said Bruce Hauser,
their neighbor in the Philadelphia suburb of West Chester.

The ritual killing resembled the murder of U.S. reporter Daniel Pearl,
beheaded by Islamist militants in Pakistan. Berg's orange overalls
were reminiscent of those worn by al Qaeda suspects held by U.S.
troops at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
We deplore this brutal act. It is just as bad as Iraqi prisoners
being beaten to death. Our hearts go out to Mr. Berg's family.

What's the problem? According to Rush Limbaugh's train of logic, these
people are just blowing off some steam and having a good time by
cutting this man's head off.

Comment: Whoever is responsible for this it has the effect of
desensitizing people to the additional torture photos which are likely
to appear later this week. Those filthy Arabs are cutting our guys
heads off, why shouldn't we torture them? For a start, the prisoners
in Iraq are people who didn't show their papers at checkpoints, sold
alcohol, or stole wood. Because Arabs (or CIArabs) torture and kill
people, doesn't mean it's OK for us to do it too.

This is sure to save Rumsfeld's bacon and re-ignite support for the
war. Just watch Bush's poll numbers rise.

Related: Pa. family angry with American government over son's brutal
death: Michael Berg lashed out at the U.S. military and Bush
administration, saying his son might still be alive had he not been
detained by U.S. officials in Iraq without being charged and without
access to a lawyer.

Question: If Berg was detained by US officials how did he get into the
hands of 'Al Qaeda'? This thing is starting to smell funny.

That's the first thing my daughter said when I told her about the

(she's temporarily cut off from news sources). Didn't occur to me, and I
wouldn't have believe anything ... *except*, now US officials are claiming

warned him to leave Iraq and he refused. That sounds VERY different from

the family knew.

Certainly is started to smell a bit odd ....