Zarqawi’s Islamic serial killers have beheaded one of their Bulgarian hostages, and sent the videotape of the slaughter to JihadTV: Bulgarian hostage in Iraq beheaded: Al-Jazeera.

DOHA (AFP) - A Bulgarian truck driver taken hostage in Iraq has been beheaded by his captors, the Arab satellite television Al-Jazeera said.

The Doha-based station said it had received a video of the execution purportedly made by the Tahid wal Jihad group (Unity and Holy War) of suspected Al-Qaeda operative Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi.

The group threatened to kill another Bulgarian hostage it is holding unless its demand was met for the release within 24 hours of Iraqi prisoners detained by the US military in Iraq, Al-Jazeera said.

Truck drivers Ivailo Kepov et Georgy Lazov were taken hostage near the northern Iraqi town of Mosul last Thursday.

Foreign Minister Solomon Passy appealed to the kidnappers to show “pity for the poor and the sick” in keeping with the Islamic faith as Lavoz suffered from diabetes and Kepov had apoplexy.