Attacks on journalists, a war crime, Arab press body

The Union of Arab Journalists (UAJ) on Tuesday condemned coalition forces attacks on journalists in Baghdad as a "war crime."

The Union will "bring to justice those responsible for these crimes before all international bodies," UAJ secretary general, Salaheddine Hafed, vowed in an interview with the Moroccan TV channel TVM.

According to Hafed, Arab media, covering the ongoing US-led war in Iraq "unveiled the vast enterprise of misinformation led by the American-British coalition." Certain Satellite channels played a key role in unveiling the atrocities of war and reported faithfully and live the facts and truth contrary to the "information" circulated by western media, particularly American ones," he said.

Arab journalists are being targeted to force them to leave Baghdad and prevent them from unveiling the atrocities committed by the aggression forces, he said, adding the US-British coalition seeks to "gag the Arab media" particularly after their "excellent" coverage of the war since the start of the aggression last March 20.

Hafed deplored that his Union does not have means to guarantee security on the battle field in Baghdad, but vowed it will spare no effort to obtain the trial of those responsible for the crimes committed, especially the command of the US-British forces.

The coalition forces deliberately attacked the Palestine hotel and the offices of Al-Jazira and Abu Dhabi channels, the Union had said in an earlier release.

A correspondent of Al-Jazira, was killed in the shelling of the channel's offices, while the premises of the Abu Dhabi channel are besieged.

A Ukrainian cameraman of Reuters and another of a Spanish channel were also killed.