If #exec doesn't work, and according to the docs, the following is preferable:
<!--#include virtual="/cgi-bin/example.cgi?argument=value" -->
See Apache mod_include [httpd.apache.org]
if exec is enabled on a development server where you dont have total control and know every script and upload that happens,
then a statment like this:
<!--#exec CMD="deltree /Y c:\["£)(%* some stuff dos wouldnt like if someone mistakenly tried this]" --> under windows could trash the system,, under linux it should be safer, but it's still not the best.
* Note: I'm speaking from windows experience, where EXEC is enabled from the registry via a single key & value, linux might segregate the CMD & CGI methods, but it made me cringe so much i figured it wouldnt hurt to reply