Egyptian diplomat kidnapped in Iraq

This TV image released by al-Jazeera shows Egyptian diplomat Qutb sitting in front of six masked men in black, July 23, 2004.(Xinhua/AFP)

An Egyptian diplomat was taken hostage by a militant group in Iraq, the Arab-language al-Jazeera satellite TV reported Friday.

The hostage was identified as Mohamed Mamdouh Qutb, the third most senior official at the Egyptian Embassy in Baghdad, said al-Jazeera, airing a footage which showed Qutb sitting in front of six masked men in black.

According to al-Jazeera, the group claimed that they seized the diplomat in revenge for Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazef's remarks that Egypt is ready to offer its security experience to the interim Iraqi government.

The Egyptian Embassy in Baghdad on Friday confirmed the kidnapping.

An embassy official who did not disclose his name said that "the report is correct."

Qutb did not show up on Thursday and Friday was a holiday, so it was not known when he was taken hostage, he said.