These beheadings are getting to be all too common. The Iraqi's, and others in the Middle East, can't be all too happy with them. Maybe I'm wrong, but the average civilian over there can't be thrilled at someones father being kidnapped off the street and beheaded.

AP

A videotape that was posted Wednesday on an Islamic Web site showed militants affiliated with wanted Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi beheading two Iraqis purported to be intelligence officers.

...

The 10-minute videotape showed two captives, Fadhel Ibrahim and Firas Imeil, identifying themselves as Iraqi National Intelligence officers and saying they were captured in Baghdad's Haifa Street on Sept. 28.

The tape showed four masked gunmen standing behind Ibrahim and then Imeil, with one militant describing the blindfolded captives as "criminals."

There was no way to immediately verify the authenticity of the tape, which was released in the name of the Brigades of Abu Bakr Al-Sidiq, a militant group affiliated to al-Zarqawi's Tawhid and Jihad organization.

Al-Zarqawi's group has kidnapped and beheaded numerous foreigners including three Americans in attacks aimed at driving foreigners out of Iraq.

The militant speaking in the tape mentioned the recent U.S.-led attacks against militants in the Iraqi city of Samarra and appeared to acknowledge a setback for insurgents in the city.

"Let America and those behind it know that what had happened in Samarra was a mere labor pain," the militant said, adding that "war has its ups and downs." U.S. and Iraqi troops claimed success earlier this month when they swept into Samarra, an insurgent stronghold northwest of Baghdad.

"It is a disgrace that such a criminal is considered as a member of our nation," the militant said. Then two other masked men held down Ibrahim and a third severed the captive's head with a knife before holding it up to the camera.

The video is here courtesy of Global Terror Alert. (Hat tip: In The Bullpen for the video link )

Hat Tip: The Jawa Report who has still images.

Others:
Backcountry Conservative
Sortapundit who was playing snooker at the time.