Iraqi Police Search Russian News Agency’s Office

[Barrett808]

Iraqi Police Search Russian News Agency’s Office After Interview with Guerilla Leader
Created: 10.08.2005 12:49 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 14:28 MSK
MosNews

Authorities raided the RIA-Novosti news agency’s office in Baghdad after it published an interview with an Iraqi armed opposition leader and summoned an Iraqi interpreter working for the agency for questioning, RIA-Novosti said in a news report on Wednesday. Floppy discs and tapes were seized during the search.

Earlier this month, RIA published an interview with Abdulla al-Jenabi who leads one of Iraq’s largest armed opposition groups, Jaish al-Mujahideen (The Army of Warriors).

Al-Jenabi said the political process in Iraq was impossible as long as the U.S. occupation forces remained in the country and warned of new large scale actions of resistance pending in Iraq.

After the interview was published, six Iraqi security officers arrived at the RIA-Novosti office in Baghdad. They inspected the building, examined the agency’s tenancy agreement and ID papers of Iraqi nationals employed by RIA in Iraq. The officers also examined computer software and seized a number of floppy discs, CDs and audio tapes.

The agency said that none of its Russian employees were in Baghdad during the search.

The search had been sanctioned by the Justice Ministry and the Interior Ministry of Iraq. The senior officer who coordinated the search declined to name the reasons saying he was not authorized to do so.

http://mosnews.com/news/2005/08/10/iraqria.shtml

[TahitiNut]

1. I guess they don't have a 'Shield Law' in Iraq, either.

... or any kind of Press Freedom. Send Judith to do the interviews - I hear she likes wearing a uniform. :puke: