BEIRUT, Lebanon - Masked gunmen killed a Lebanese national outside the offices of the company he owns in Baghdad, the official Lebanese news agency ANI said Thursday.

The agency identified the victim as Roger Nassar, owner of a computer company that has been operating in Iraq for several months.

It quoted Nassar`s brother, Dory, as saying that the victim was parking his vehicle outside his office in the crowded neighborhood of Sinaa in central Baghdad when nine gunmen in three cars intercepted him and tried to force him into one of the vehicles.

He said his brother resisted his kidnappers who beat him up and hit him with rifles before shooting him to death.

The Lebanese charge d`affaires in Baghdad Hassan Hijazi informed the family of the incident, saying the killers apparently wanted to kidnap Nassar for a ransom. (UPI)