7月14日，美国军方宣布已于9日抓获绑架并杀害埃及驻伊拉克首席外交官伊哈卜·谢里夫的主要嫌疑人哈米斯·法赫达维（又名阿布·塞巴）。阿布·塞巴是“基地”组织在伊拉克的一名高级头目，涉嫌参与了杀害谢里夫以及袭击巴林和巴基斯坦驻伊外交官员的行动。外电报道如下：The U.S. military on Thursday announced the capture of two key members of Iraq's most-feared terror group, including one suspected in the kidnap-slaying of an Egyptian envoy² and attacks on senior diplomats³ from Pakistan and Bahrain.

Khamis Farhan Khalaf Abd al-Fahdawi, known as Abu Seba, was arrested last Saturday following operations in the Ramadi area west of Baghdad, the U.S. military said in a statement. He was accused of involvement in the abduction and killing⁴ of Egypt's top envoy in Iraq and attacks on Pakistani and Bahraini diplomats earlier this month.

"Seba served as a senior lieutenant⁵ of al-Qaida in Iraq, and is suspected in attacks against diplomats of Bahrain, Pakistan and the recent murder of Egyptian envoy, Ihab Salah al Din¹ Ahmad al-Sherif," the U.S. statement said. "Al-Qaida ordered the attacks against Arab diplomats in an effort to reduce support for the government of Iraq according to a military spokesman."

Operation在此表示“军事行动；作战演习”，例如：Operation Sea 93（海洋“九三”行动）；a base of operations（作战基地）；combine operations（海陆空三军联合作战）；mopping -up operation（扫荡战）等。

据悉，埃及驻伊拉克首席外交官谢里夫于本月2日晚在巴格达被绑架。“伊拉克圣战基地组织”7日称已杀死谢里夫，并警告还将追杀“尽可能多的大使”来惩罚支持伊拉克新政府的国家。