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U.S. hostage Johnson apparently beheaded
Web site posts photos believed to be body of man held in Saudi Arabia
(CNN) -- Three chilling photographs on an Islamist Web site appear to show the beheaded body of American hostage Paul Johnson, who was kidnapped a week ago by Islamic militants connected with al Qaeda.
Abdel Aziz Al-Muqrin, the self-proclaimed military leader of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility for Johnson's kidnapping and the death of another American on the same day on behalf of a group called the Al Falluja Squadron.
On Tuesday, he threatened to kill Johnson in 72 hours unless the Saudi government released al Qaeda prisoners and all Westerners left the Arabian Peninsula.
"We gave you the deadline but you did not respect it," a statement on the Web site said. "This is what we promised to do."
A Saudi security source said, "From our end, we cannot confirm this. We have not found a body yet."
Earlier Friday, Al Arabiya as well as CNN had aired an emotional appeal from Johnson's wife.
U.S. and Saudi investigators concluded an intensive meeting Friday, Saudi officials said, as security forces spread all over the kingdom searching for Johnson.
Johnson, 49, a Lockheed Martin Corp. employee, had been kidnapped Saturday in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. He helped maintain U.S.-built Apache helicopter gunships for the Saudi military.
Al Falluja Squadron says it has ties to al Qaeda.
The State Department has urged all Americans to leave Saudi Arabia, but Johnson's sister, Donna Mayeux, said in a CNN interview that her brother "always felt safe in Saudi Arabia."
"My brother is an honorable man," she said. "He has always treated people with dignity and respect."
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...nap/index.html
Web site posts photos believed to be body of man held in Saudi Arabia
(CNN) -- Three chilling photographs on an Islamist Web site appear to show the beheaded body of American hostage Paul Johnson, who was kidnapped a week ago by Islamic militants connected with al Qaeda.
Abdel Aziz Al-Muqrin, the self-proclaimed military leader of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility for Johnson's kidnapping and the death of another American on the same day on behalf of a group called the Al Falluja Squadron.
On Tuesday, he threatened to kill Johnson in 72 hours unless the Saudi government released al Qaeda prisoners and all Westerners left the Arabian Peninsula.
"We gave you the deadline but you did not respect it," a statement on the Web site said. "This is what we promised to do."
A Saudi security source said, "From our end, we cannot confirm this. We have not found a body yet."
Earlier Friday, Al Arabiya as well as CNN had aired an emotional appeal from Johnson's wife.
U.S. and Saudi investigators concluded an intensive meeting Friday, Saudi officials said, as security forces spread all over the kingdom searching for Johnson.
Johnson, 49, a Lockheed Martin Corp. employee, had been kidnapped Saturday in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. He helped maintain U.S.-built Apache helicopter gunships for the Saudi military.
Al Falluja Squadron says it has ties to al Qaeda.
The State Department has urged all Americans to leave Saudi Arabia, but Johnson's sister, Donna Mayeux, said in a CNN interview that her brother "always felt safe in Saudi Arabia."
"My brother is an honorable man," she said. "He has always treated people with dignity and respect."
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...nap/index.html
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