Twelve Nepalese abducted in Iraq by a shadowy Islamic group calling itself the Ansar al-Sunna Army have been executed, a website said Tuesday.

The statement by the group linked to al-Qaida was accompanied by pictures of the bodies of the 12 hostages, one of whom was apparently beheaded while the rest got their throats cut.

"We have carried out the sentence of Allah against the 12 Nepalese who came to fight the Muslims and to serve the Jews and the Christians," said the statement.

The Nepalese were last shown in a videotape on Saturday reading a statement saying they had been misled into working in Iraq by "American lies".

They were known kidnapped on Aug. 20 by the Ansar al-Sunna Army which said it seized the Nepalese because of their cooperation with US forces in Iraq.

(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2004)