An Easter Gift from Al Qaeda

Militants from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's terror network posted a video on the Internet showing the purported execution of a man identifying himself as Col. Ryadh Gatie Olyway.

The man displayed his Interior Ministry identification card and said he was a liaison officer with the American forces. Behind the men was the black banner of al-Qaida in Iraq.

Olyway said he provided the U.S. military with the names ``of officers of the former Iraqi army, who are Sunnis, and their addresses.'' At the end of the video, Olyway was blindfolded and appeared to be shot once in the head. The authenticity of the video could not be verified.

An Interior Ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Olyway worked as a liaison officer between the interior and oil ministries and was kidnapped more than a month ago. He had not seen the video and could not confirm whether the hostage was Olyway.