October 14, 2004
By Maamoun Youssef Associated Press Writer
AP Breaking
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Video that appeared on an Islamic Web site Thursday showed militants in Iraq beheading a man identified as a kidnapped Turkish driver.
He was the sixth Turk and the 30th foreign hostage slain by militants who oppose the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. Most of the victims have worked for or alongside coalition interests in the country.
The video appeared on the Web site of the Ansar al-Sunnah Army, an Iraqi militant group. A statement read in the video said the kidnappers belonged to the group's "Qaqa Brigade," a reference to a commander who served Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
The Arabic-language Web site said the driver's name was Ramazan Elbu. In a brief statement, the driver gave only his first name - Ramazan - and held up what appeared to be Turkish identity documents.
The video began with the man, white haired and bearded, saying: "I am Ramazan. I drove a truck of supplies to the Americans. ... When I was coming back (to Turkey), the group captured me. I call on all Turkish drivers not to come to Iraq."
Two kidnappers pushed the Turk to the ground and he was beheaded.
The video appeared to have been shot outside, as the light was natural and the gunmen stood on what appeared to be grass and crushed undergrowth.
All 14 links to the video were severed about an hour after they appeared on the Ansar al-Sunnah Army's Web site.
Ansar al-Sunnah Army has claimed responsibility for killing a number of hostages, including Turkish contractor Maher Kemal, whose beheading was posted on the Internet on Monday, and 12 Nepalese construction workers, whose killing was shown in an Internet video posted on Aug. 31.
More than 150 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq since the insurgency began after the U.S.-led overthrow of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in April 2003. Some kidnappers seek ransom money, but others have political objectives such as the withdrawal of foreign companies or troops serving in the U.S.-led multinational force.
While six Turks have been slain by the militants, 34 others have been freed by their captors.
The Turkish truck drivers' association has banned its members from transporting goods to the U.S. military in Iraq out of fear for their safety. But many Turks work for foreign companies, some based in Kuwait, that have dealings with the U.S. forces in Iraq.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBA1Y9OB0E.html