Reax to kidnap of Egyptian diplomat, newspapers

(4 Jul 2005)

1. Various of street scenes
2. People at newspaper stand
3. Headline reading: "Kidnapping al-Sherif will hamper upgrading the diplomatic representation between Baghdad and Cairo"
4. People reading newspapers
5. Street scenes
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Vox Pop:
"The kidnapping of the Egyptian ambassador was due to lack of security, either Iraq's security, or the Egyptian body guards. It is wrong that he, the ambassador was walking alone in Jamie neighbourhood mainly as several Egyptians were abducted before."
7. Street scene
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Vox Pop:
"The kidnapping of the Egyptian ambassador will affect Iraqi-Arab relations particularly as we are intending to improve our ties with Arab countries."
9. Street scenes
10. Various exteriors of the Egyptian embassy
11. Egyptian flag fluttering on the embassy
12. Exterior of the Egyptian embassy

STORYLINE:

Iraqis in the capital Baghdad said on Monday the kidnapping of an Egyptian diplomat would affect Iraqi-Arab relations and hamper the diplomatic representation between Iraq and other Arab countries.

Ihab al-Sherif, 51, chief of his country's diplomatic mission in Baghdad, was seized on Saturday night by about eight gunmen after he stopped to buy a newspaper in western Baghdad.

He was pistol-whipped and forced into the boot of a car as the assailants shouted that he was an "American spy," witnesses said on condition of anonymity.

He has been in Iraq since June 1.

Some Iraqis blamed the kidnapping on a lack of security.

One of Iraq's most prominent Sunni Arab political organisations, the Iraqi Islamic Party, quickly condemned the kidnapping and demanded al-Sherif's "immediate release."

Al-Sherif was the highest-ranking foreign official to be kidnapped in Iraq, although a lower-ranking Egyptian diplomat was held briefly by insurgents last year.

He was freed after Egypt reaffirmed it would not send troops to Iraq.

The US government has been urging Arab nations to resume full diplomatic relations with the elected Iraqi government, and al-Sherif's abduction appeared to serve as a warning against responding favourably to such overtures.

Last month, the Egyptian government upgraded its mission in Iraq to full embassy status headed by an ambassador, which made al-Sherif the first Arab ambassador to Iraq's new government.

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