US vows to catch killers

13 April 2012

The US has pledged to catch the Iraqi insurgents who videoed themselves beheading an American businessman, apparently in revenge for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

Al Qa'eda's leader in Iraq is believed to be behind the killing of Nick Berg, 26, which was shown on the internet yesterday.

The video, which was broadcast on an Arabic website, whows Berg dressed in orange overalls sitting in front of five masked men.

One of the men read a statement urging Muslims to take revenge over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

The men then shouted "God is greatest" and cut off his head with a knife

The video posted yesterday on the website bore the title "Abu Musab al-Zarqawi shown slaughtering an American".

It was unclear whether al-Zarqawi - an associate of Osama bin Laden believed behind the wave of suicide bombings in Iraq - was shown in the video or simply ordered the execution.

Al-Zarqawi also is sought in the assassination of a US diplomat in Jordan in 2002.

The Bush administration said those who beheaded Mr Berg would be hunted down and brought to justice.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family," White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said. "It shows the true nature of the enemies of freedom. They have no regard for the lives of innocent men, women and children."

Berg's father, Michael, said he blamed the US government for creating circumstances that led to his son's death. He said if his son hadn't been detained for so long, he might have been able to leave the country before the violence worsened.

"I think a lot of people are fed up with the lack of civil rights this thing has caused," he said. "I don't think this administration is committed to democracy."

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