Posted on 09/22/2003 8:56:50 PM PDT by Pokey78
Iraq's governing council is to take action against the Arabic television networks al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya for what it calls "incitement to violence" in their reporting about Iraq. Some sources in Baghdad said the council intended to expel the two leading Arabic channels from the country for a month.
Leading Iraqi officials have complained for several weeks about the tone of the coverage on the Arabic networks, particularly their decisions to air recorded messages from Saddam Hussein and threats against the 25 Iraqis who were appointed to the governing council.
Samir Shakir Mahmoud al-Sumaidy, head of the council's media committee, told the Guardian last night: "The council has discussed the problem of incitement to violence in which al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya have persisted and has resolved to take firm action." He said a decision would be announced today.
The move came as a suicide bomber blew himself up in a car outside the UN's headquarters in Baghdad yesterday, killing an Iraqi security guard and injuring at least 17 others. It was the second attack on the UN in a month.
It is not clear whether the decision to act against the two Arabic TV channels was endorsed by the US-led civilian administration, and whether the governing council, which is little more than an advisory body, has the power to expel journalists from the country. America and Britain remain the legal authority in Iraq.
Al-Jazeera, based in Qatar, and al-Arabiya, in the United Arab Emirates, both have large teams of reporters in Iraq and are widely watched by locals. They frequently broadcast graphic images of the daily attacks on US soldiers, and much of their reporting has been deeply critical of the military occupation, often openly doubting the military's version of events.
Last week al-Arabiya reported that eight American troops were killed in an ambush of a military convoy near the town of Khaldiya, west of Baghdad. The US insisted only two soldiers were wounded.
The governing council seems to have been particularly angered by a message from unnamed Islamic militants, broadcast by al-Arabiya in July, which carried threats against council members. The broadcast was a "conduit for terrorists", said Philip Reeker, an American state department spokesman.
The Iraqis' concern came to a head on Saturday when Aqila al-Hashmi, one of three women on the council, was shot and seriously injured in an attack outside her home.
Speaking before yesterday's meeting, Mr al-Sumaidy described the two Arabic television channels as "hostile media outlets" and said there were plans to introduce tougher media laws.
"They show groups of masked terrorists who read out long statements about how everybody dealing with the Americans should be punished and killed, and that is really crossing a line that should not be crossed," he said.
Jihad Ballout, a spokesman for al-Jazeera in Doha, last night defended his network's coverage of Iraq. "We are a news organisation; we do not deal in politics," he said. "Al-Jazeera believes in being a platform for various points of view ... whether they are Americans, Britons or Iraqis opposed to the regime."
Yesterday's blast at the UN building came when an Iraqi security guard opened the bonnet of a car for a routine inspection at a checkpoint at the rear of the building. UN officials said the bomber wore a belt of explosives and also had what was thought to be a 25kg bomb in the car.
Security at the UN compound had been tightened after a suicide bomber last month killed 23 people, including the UN special representative, Sergio de Mello. At the time 300 UN staff worked in Baghdad. That number has now been reduced.
The UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, warned that if the situation continued to deteriorate, the organisation's work in Iraq would be handicapped considerably. He added: "I'm shocked and distressed by this latest attack."
The guards who bore the brunt of yesterday's attack were members of the new facility protection service, a 4,000-strong Iraqi force established by the US military. The military provides the force with a brief three-day training programme, although the men at the UN compound yesterday said they were still waiting to be trained. They complained that they were allowed no weapons, wore no body armour and had no mirrors or metal detectors to inspect cars and visitors at checkpoints.
"Beat it, Saddam !" . . .
In Umm Qasr, heroes AND Iraqis remove portraits of Saddam.April 8th Thread of Iraq War Pics
Credit to Eternal Vigilance for this caption on the USO Canteen (#117):
The Fruit of the Resolute
"Great victories come only to those who never waver
No matter how loudly the enemies of freedom may mock
Who see the path of duty, and follow it to the very end
God bless our President on this day
He will be known forever as 'the Liberator of Iraq'!"
Speaking before yesterday's meeting, Mr al-Sumaidy described the two Arabic television channels as "hostile media outlets" and said there were plans to introduce tougher media laws.
"They show groups of masked terrorists who read out long statements about how everybody dealing with the Americans should be punished and killed, and that is really crossing a line that should not be crossed," he said.
Iraqi Council holding the enemy press accountable.
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Apparently, they are talking about the American media too. There is never any positive news from the media here, and they should be held accountable for the uninformed American public. Thanks God for FR.
Rush was just talking about this. He mentioned that Bob Arnot did a good piece earlier today. He interviewed some Iraqis in a Barber Shop and said 80% of the Iraqi people he talked to after the President's speech this morning were positive about it. The shop was a perfect example of what's going right in Iraq. There was water, electricity, customers, and a TV where lots of people gathered around to watch the speech.
My pleasure. Thanks ! :O)
Peter Jennings, on learning of the Iraqi Council's demolition of the ABC television tower in Baghdad, cautioned World News Tonight viewers, "One can never read very much into the tantrums of these toddlers."
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