U.S. and Iraqi Military Forces Detain Journalists, Whereabouts Unknown

[chlamor]

U.S. and Iraqi military forces detain journalists, whereabouts unknown

5/18/2005 9:00:00 PM GMT

Eight Iraqi journalists' whereabouts are unknown after being detained by U.S. and Iraqi forces

The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is demanding an explanation from U.S. and Iraqi military forces regarding the whereabouts of least eight Iraqi journalists who have been detained since March 2005.

CPJ called on U.S. and Iraqi officials to publicly explain the basis for the journalists' continued detention. According to CPJ, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Steve Boylan said that the journalists pose a "security risk to the Iraqi people and coalition forces."

<snip>

"We are deeply concerned by the arbitrary nature of these detentions and are concerned that these journalists are in detention merely for doing their work," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. "U.S. and Iraqi officials must credibly explain the basis for these detentions at once."

http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=8262

[struggle4progress]

1. Iraqi journalists 'disappear' in US army hands (Index on Censorship)

... A US military spokesman told CPJ that the journalists pose a "security risk to the Iraqi people and coalition forces." No further details were given. All work for Western news organisations. None of the journalists have been formally charged. Two are thought to be missing employees of Agence France-Presse - reporter Ammar Daham Naef Khalaf, who was detained by U.S. troops on 11 April in Ramadi, and photographer Fares Nawaf al-Issaywi, who was arrested in Fallujah on 1 May. A third individual reportedly works for CBS News. Another detainee, Hassan al-Shummari, reports for the privately owned satellite station Diyar TV, says CPJ. He was detained in Diyala province in March or early April and remains in custody. US officials have often alleged that some Iraqi journalists collaborate with Iraqi insurgents. But the military have rarely tried to provided evidence to substantiate their claims ...

http://www.indexonline.org/en/indexindex/articles/2005/2/iraq-journalists-murdered.shtml

[chlamor]

3. From Same Link

• On 15 May 2005, armed men killed Najem Abed Khudair and Ahmed Adam near Latifiyah, south of Baghdad. Khudair worked for the independent daily newspapers al-Mada and Tariq al-Shaab. Adam, a poet and writer, was a contributor to al-Mada and Sabah, a newspaper launched after the start of the conflict. The Iraqi army said on 16 May that it had arrested nine suspects.

http://www.indexonline.org/en/indexindex/articles/2005/2/iraq-journalists-murdered.shtml

They're just f**ckin' hammering on the Journalists/witnesses.

[babylonsister]

2. Words fail me. nt

[Tempest]

4. Same thing happened in El Salvador

The rightwing death squads Reagan created and funded "disappeared" more than fifty El Salvadorian journalists during his dirty war.

[bpilgrim]

5. they'll show up in a ditch tomorrow

:cry:

peace