Posted on 08/15/2004 2:33:25 PM PDT by atomic conspiracy
Iran TV journalist arrested in Najaf Agence France-Presse Tehran, August 15
A journalist for the Arabic service of Iran's state broadcaster was detained live on television Sunday as US troops led a renewed offensive against Shiite Muslim militiamen in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf. Mohammad Kazem, an Iraqi correspondent of Iran's Al-Alam channel, was detained at gunpoint by Iraqi police during the live interview from a Najaf rooftop.
At 10 am (0600 GMT) on Sunday, Najaf police chief General Ghaleb al-Jazairi had given all journalists two hours to leave ahead of a renewed assault on militia positions in the city centre following the breakdown of truce talks the previous day.
It is not the first time that Al-Alam has fallen foul of the Iraqi authorities. Officials of the US-backed interim government have repeatedly taken issue with the Iranian television's coverage, along with that of the Gulf-based satellite channels Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya.
Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari accused all three channels of "incitement working against the interests, security and stability of the Iraqi people" and warned: "We will no longer tolerate this in the future."
Looks like the "Battle for Najaf" is gettting ready to be written in the history books of the new Iraqi Army.
I am proud of our troops who are there i a supporting role, wink, wink.
I don't think the Geneva Convention applies in a situation like this. It is an "internal" revolt, (small laugh) funded by Iran, in attempt to overthrow the government of Iraq.
I am bound to wonder how many 'journalists, press passes pinned to their flak-jackets, are providing intel to Sadr's guys?
LOL! That's sooooooo sick...
Have y'all seen the video all over the place , shot within Sadr's lines? These guys are everywhere. And they're "non-people".
Iraq kicked the journalists out of Najaf. Gimme a minute, and I'll find the link
Ther is an earlier press release ordering 'ALL' press out of Najaf.
Roger that. It just never occurred to me that they could be 'engineering' as well as spinning. Just my naivete.
Prolly why it was censored...
The lib media always contours these things as a means of keeping the eyes of the world from the injustice of American offensives. But , in actuality, it's gotta be that the press (some) are scouts.
But not a breath of that possibility in the news. Not even in the linked article.
Unless you're the Iranian govt.....they just declared 'fatwa!!' on the boot-licking lackeys of the snake US.
Ok...more fodder for the bug-zapper.
I'd think Iran (and others soon to follow, no doubt) would be more careful about pickin' a fight with our new democratic allies in Iraq. Signing their death warrants, so to speak.
All we gotta do is make sure Russia can collect on its contracts after the revolution, I figure. I don't think that'll be so hard to negotiate.
Of course! They finally 'got' capitalism...
"It is not the first time that Al-Alam has fallen foul of the Iraqi authorities"
Sounds like a bad penny
Round up the usual suspects.
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