Paul Johnson Murdered

[Cluey]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...nap/index.html

U.S. hostage Johnson apparently beheaded

Web site posts photos believed to be body of man held in Saudi Arabia

Friday, June 18, 2004 Posted: 2:06 PM EDT (1806 GMT)

(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."

(continued on website...)