Al-Jazeera TV ban in Iraq extended
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-05 13:30

The Iraqi government on Saturday extended a ban on Al-Jazeera television and sealed the Baghdad office of the Arab news channel, charging it had not complied with a temporary ban clamped on grounds of incitement to violence.

Al-Jazeera expressed its outrage at the move and a reported raid by Iraqi security forces on its Baghdad bureau to seal the building.

On August 5, the Qatar-based news channel was ordered to close its Baghdad office for a month on charges of advocating violence, inciting hatred and racial tension.

"During this temporary closure the government of Iraq had expected the Al-Jazeera management to offer an explanation to the presented allegations or to officially request a description of the possible threat that the channel may be posing. However, none of this has happened," said a statement from the office of interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

"Additionally, Al-Jazeera TV has not respected the decision taken by the ministerial national security committee and has continued to broadcast from within Iraq and interview individuals on Iraqi soil regardless of the temporary closure order," the statement said.

Hence, the government has "decided to extend the ban on Al-Jazeera from operating within Iraq until a time when Al-Jazeera TV headquarters sends an official response of their policies and motives within Iraq," it added.

A spokesman for the station told AFP in Doha that Iraqi security forces had broken into Al-Jazeera's office in Baghdad and sealed it with red wax.

"Iraqi security authorities stormed Al-Jazeera's office in Baghdad, photographed our equipment and sealed the place with red wax, stationing a 14-strong police unit outside," Jihad Ballout said.

They did so on grounds that Al-Jazeera continued to cover Iraq despite the ban, he said.

Denouncing the move, Ballout said Al-Jazeera had complied with the ban and "has been receiving footage from news agencies, as do many media institutions operating in Iraq."

In a separate statement issued in the Qatari capital, Al-Jazeera said it was outraged by the renewal of the ban, saying the decision showed Baghdad was violating its promise to safeguard press freedom.

"Al-Jazeera channel is outraged at the decision ... by the Iraqi interim government to extend the closure of its bureau in Baghdad," it said.

"This decision runs contrary to pledges made by the Iraqi authorities to pursue a policy of openness and to safeguard freedoms of the press and expression," the statement said.

Al-Jazeera vowed to continue its coverage of Iraq "in accordance with its editorial policy and professional values."

Al-Jazeera has frequently been accused by US and Iraqi authorities of inciting violence by screening "exclusive" videotapes from Muslim extremists, including Al-Qaeda terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The original ban was issued following a four-week independent review of Al-Jazeera's programming which concluded that some of its broadcasts were either directly or indirectly inciting violence, kidnappings and murders.

Before the ban was imposed last month, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari criticized Al-Jazeera, Saudi-funded Al-Arabiya and other Arab and Iranian stations for their coverage of Iraq and threatened to close their Baghdad offices.

The move drew condemnation from media watchdogs, which charged that the new Iraqi government was violating press freedom.

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