Iraq's al Qaeda group have said in an internet statement that they will kill Egypt's top envoy to Iraq, Ihab el-Sherif, who was kidnapped last weekend.
The statement was posted on an Islamist website but could not be immediately authenticated.
The statement read: 'The sharia court of al Qaeda organisation in Iraq has decided to hand over the apostate, the ambassador of Egypt which is allied to Jews and Christians, to the mujahideen to carry out the punishment of the apostate and to kill him.'
Photos of the diplomat's personal identification cards were also posted on the site.
El-Sherif was abducted by several gunmen as he was buying a newspaper on Saturday night.
