Zarqawi, posted a video showing the hostage speaking but not the actual killing. The Egyptian presidency confirmed that Sherif was dead, saying in a statement that the envoy had "lost his life at the hands of terrorism which trades in Islam". "The Egyptian Foreign Ministry ... has received with deep pain and sadness the news of the martyrdom of Ambassador Dr. Ihab al-Sherif," added a Foreign Ministry statement. An Egyptian diplomatic source said Egypt had confirmation of the killing "through multiple contacts" but had not received decisive evidence from the Iraqi government and did not know where Sherif's body might be. The killing surprised the Egyptian government, which earlier on Thursday was saying that it remained in contact with all Iraqi groups and hoped to secure his release. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit had told reporters that Sherif was a pious Muslim and that his mission in Iraq was to make contact with all sectors of Iraqi society. --More 2304 Local Time 2004 GMT
