Zarqawi: Butaflika killed believers

Al-Jihad al-Qaida organizations in Iraq, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, criticized in a statement on Thursday the Alegrain President and the "The Murtadin" (those who are no longer Muslims because of their conduct) who deplored the killing of the two Algerian diplomats in Iraq. Al-Qaida threatened to target other diplomats.

Meantime, the the Iraqi authorities discuss the possibility of seeking backing of the occupation forces to ensure necessary protection for foreign diplomatic missions and their representatives in Iraq.

Al-Qaida stressed in the statement which was issued on Thursday on the Internet "what is righteous is clear, We do not care about your statements, nor condemnation. We are approaching the Almighty God by implementing the Sharia." The statement added "our religion orders us to kill " the Murtad and the non-believer."

Without mentioning him by name, the organization criticized Butaflika addressing him as an "evil, whose hands bloodied with the pure blood of believers," a reference to the killing by the Algerian government of Islamists.

The organization also criticized the Iraqi authorities which promised to protect foreign diplomats working in it.

In Algeria "the Salafeyah group for fighting and the call" welcomed the killing of the diplomats in Baghdad. It said in a statement that the "Mujahideen" in the group "welcomed implementing the law of God on the representatives of the hireling Algerian regime Ali Bal'arousi and Ezz Eddine Balqadi."

In the same context, the Iraqi foreign minister Hoshiar Zeibari announced in a press conference with the American ambassador in Baghdad, Zalmai Khalil Zada, that "we have discussed the issue of protecting foreign diplomats in Baghdad." He added "certainly there is cooperation between the two governments to benefit from the capabilities of the coalition forces in ensuring best protection for diplomats working in Baghdad."

News Agencies