Iraqi archbishop found dead, al Qaeda blamed

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - A Chaldean Catholic archbishop who was kidnapped in Iraq last month was found dead on Thursday, his body half-buried in an empty lot in the northern city of Mosul, police said.

Paulos Faraj Rahho, the archbishop of Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, was abducted on February 29 after gunmen attacked his car and killed his driver and two guards.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki blamed Rahho's death on al Qaeda and said his Shi'ite Islamist-led government was committed to protecting Christians, who make up about 3 percent of the population in mostly Muslim Iraq.

"The perpetrators of this horrible crime will not run from the hand of justice," Maliki said.

Pope Benedict, who had made several appeals for the archbishop's freedom, called Rahho's death "an act of inhuman violence that offends the dignity of the human being" in a letter to Iraqi church leaders.

Chaldeans belong to a branch of the Roman Catholic Church that practices an ancient Eastern rite and form the biggest Christian community in Iraq.

"I deplore the despicable act of violence committed against the Archbishop of Mosul," U.S. President George W. Bush said in a statement. "We will continue to work with the Iraqi government to protect and support civilians, irrespective of religious affiliation."

CAUSE OF DEATH UNCLEAR

Police said it was not clear whether Rahho, 65, had been killed or died of other causes. He appeared to have been dead a week and had no bullet wounds, police at the morgue in Mosul said. He was dressed in black trousers and a blue shirt.