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13.01.2006.

12 January 2006            

 

IFJ Calls onUnited States to Explain Army Raid on Home of Investigative Journalist inIraq

 

The International Federation of Journalists today calledon theUnited Statesarmy inIraqto explain why the home of anaward-winning Iraqi journalist investigating a high-level corruption scandal wasraided by troops at the weekend.

 

American troops inBaghdadforced their way into the home of AliFadil, who is working with theGuardianandChannel 4, and fired shots into the roomwhere he was sleeping with his wife and children. He was taken away and releaseda few hours later, but video tapes he had produced were confiscated and notreturned.

 

“This incident smacks of intimidation of a journalistwho is on the track of a story that some people would prefer does not get told,”saidAidan White, IFJ GeneralSecretary. “There has been no credible explanation for this raid. Once again itappears that journalists are suffering pressure with impunity.”

At the end of last year Fadil was awarded the UK Foreign Press Associationyoung journalist of the year award. InIraqhe has been working withGuardian Filmson an investigation forChannel 4's Dispatchesprogramme intoclaims of misappropriation of tens of millions of dollars worth of Iraqi fundsheld by the Americans and British authorities in the country.

Troops told him that they were looking for an Iraqi insurgent and seizedvideo tapes he had shot for the programme. The IFJ says concerns have beenraised because this raid came just after the media team approached theUSauthorities, informed them aboutFadil’s investigation and asked them then to grant him an interview.

“The implications of this incident are very serious for the exercise ofjournalism inIraq,” said White. “It is simply notacceptable to burst into a journalists’ house, shoot off a few rounds andjustify terrorising a family on the back of a so-called hunt for insurgents,particularly when it concerns a reporter who is asking serious questions aboutcorruption in high places.”

The IFJ says that unless the American authorities give a full explanationover why the raid took place, speculation will continue that this was a crudeand terrifying attempt to discourage a legitimate journalisticinvestigation.

For further information contact: +32 2 235 22 07
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries

 

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