Egypt wont be intimidated by envoy slaying

CAIRO, July 11 (UPI) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit vowed Monday that it will not be intimidated by the killing of its ambassador in Iraq by Islamic terrorists.

Aboul Gheit was quoted on Egypt's official television as saying his country will avenge the slaying of Ihab Sherif by stepping up diplomatic and legal activities in Baghdad and combating such a trend within the framework of international law.

The al-Qaida branch in Mesopotamia led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi announced last week that it killed Sherif a few days after kidnapping him in Baghdad.

Aboul Gheit said the kidnappers did not give the foreign ministry a deadline for negotiations and made no demands for releasing Sherif.

He urged U.S. forces and Iraqi authorities to find Sherif's body as quickly as possible and hand it over to Egypt.