Iraqi militants claim to behead CIA agent

CAIRO, Egypt – An Islamic Web site carried a videotape Wednesday that appeared to show militants in Iraq beheading a man they identified as a CIA agent. The authenticity of the videotape could not be verified immediately.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said CIA officials have accounted for all employees and no one is missing. U.S. officials were working to determine if the tape was authentic, the official said.

The Internet site, regarded as a clearinghouse for tapes and statements by Islamic extremist groups, displayed footage of eight militants surrounding a seated man who wore a sign around his neck bearing his photograph and the hand-written letters CIA along with the Arabic word for “visitor.”

In a close-up, the footage showed a masked militant holding a large knife to the man’s throat, the militant chopped repeatedly at the neck, severing the head.

A masked militant was then shown holding the head aloft.

There have been at least 80 kidnappings in Iraq – some for ransom and some by militants seeking to drive foreign soldiers from the country. Some of the hostages have been beheaded, including American businessman Nicholas Berg.

At least three Americans are known to be missing in Iraq – U.S. Army Spc. Keith M. Maupin and civilian contract workers William Bradley and Timothy Bell. The men have not been seen since an April 9 attack on a fuel convoy, although Arab television reported June 29 that Maupin had been killed. The U.S. military has said it could not confirm the death.

On Saturday, a video posted on a militant Web site that purportedly showed an American being decapitated in Iraq was a hoax. The man shown in the video said he videotaped the staged beheading at his friend’s house using fake blood.

The videotape footage posted Wednesday, which lasted about four minutes, showed several scenes including a masked militant holding a large knife to the captive’s throat. Men were heard talking in Arabic around the captive.

Later, the man was showing seated on a chair in what appeared to be the courtyard of a house surrounded by eight masked militants. The location of the house was not identified in the videotape.

The captive wore a brown T-shirt and light-colored pants.

After the beheading, the head was held up and voices were heard yelling “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great.”)