THE seizure of Egyptian diplomat Mohamed Mamdouh Qutb in Baghdad is an extremely serious new development in the wave of hostage-taking in Iraq. Until now diplomats, especially from the Arab world, have been able to operate quietly behind the scenes, encouraging Iraqis to work together.

Though the terrorists may be unreachable directly, it must be certain that avenues of communication have been opened at least with the diehard Baathist insurgents concentrated in the Sunni triangle around Fallujah. Arab diplomats have been well-placed to facilitate these contacts as honest brokers between the government of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and the insurgents.

The seizure of Qutb will seriously compromise efforts among the diplomatic community to persuade some terrorists at least — there seems little chance of negotiating with Al-Qaeda — that violence is futile and only talking will further their aims.

For some of these killers however there will be no end until they themselves meet the same bloody fate they seek to impose upon those who support the rebirth of a free Iraq in which all Iraqis are treated fairly. They have no respect for anyone including foreign diplomats.

Upon reflection this ought to come as no surprise. What is surprising rather is that an outrage such as the seizure of Qutb has not happened earlier.

That the victim is a representative of a friendly Arab government underlines the madness in which the terrorists are steeped. The demand that Cairo send no troops to aid the Iraqi administration was nonsense since the Egyptian government has asserted that it never had any such plans. It is however putting in place assistance for the Iraqi authorities that will include training and equipment for security personnel.

Kidnapping for ransom, whether the victim is a foreign diplomat or a simple truck driver is a loathsome crime. But it places the governments whose nationals are taken as hostages in a terrible position. While the action of the Philippine government in advancing the withdrawal date of its military contingent has secured the release of its unfortunate national, it has encouraged the terrorists to redouble their iniquitous campaign of seizing foreigners.

Until the Filipino decision, the world community had preserved its resolutely united front not to give in to the threats of hostage-takers. Now that the terrorists have scored one success, the whole painful and heartbreaking process must begin again. There is no way to avoid pain.

The outside world is busy telling the Iraqis that they have to work together to create an all-inclusive Iraq. That advice holds just as true for the outside world. They too must act with unity of purpose to help Iraqis from the chaos into which they have been plunged.

Caving in unilaterally to hostage-takers does not assist Iraqis but instead gives an unnecessary victory to the ruthless men of violence.