The Australian newspaper says their war correspondents arrested in Basra, Iraq

The Australian ^ | April 1, 2003 | Simone Pitsis

[HAL9000]

The Australian's journalist Peter Wilson and photographer John Feder have been arrested by Iraqi police in Basra.

Editor of The Australian newspaper, Michael Stutchbury, said fears were raised last night when Mr Wilson and Mr Feder, currently covering developments in Iraq, had not contacted Australian bureaus.

Mr Stutchbury, who was called by the pair this morning, said they were "safe and sound" and awaiting a decision by Iraqi officials as to whether they would be expelled or allowed to stay in the country.

Mr Wilson and Mr Feder had been travelling through Iraq in a 4WD as non-embedded journalists without media markings on their vehicle, and had filed from Basra and Umm Qasr.

They were placed under house arrest at the Meridien Palestine Hotel with several other journalists captured, after being arrested for apparent passport violations.

Both have had their satellite phones confiscated and have been prohibited from filing stories or photos until an official decision has been made.

Their arrest follows similar action taken against News Limited journalist Ian McPhedran who has been forced to leave the Iraqi capital by "paranoid and freaked-out" officials. Mr McPhedran ? who was staying at the same hotel until his expulsion from the capital yesterday ? said he was told by officials he had "broken the rules" and must pack his bags, pay his bills and get out.

[CatAtomic]

and just yesterday a media piece suggested knowledge that several agents were posing as journalists... I hope the guy that wrote that piece feels guilty as hell.