19 October 2006Khaleej Times
Qatar’s Al Jazeera Network is in consultation with its lawyers over a possible ‘next step’ reaction to statements made by former British home secretary David Blunkett that he advised Prime Minister Tony Blair to attack the satellite channel’s offices in Baghdad during the war on Iraq, just two weeks before the actual bombing, which resulted in the death of one of their reporters.
A statement released in Doha by Al Jazeera staff last night said: “It is with great disappointment that the journalists and staff of Al Jazeera have received statements made recently by former British home secretary David Blunkett. In an interview with Channel Four, Mr Blunkett — who was a member of the war cabinet during the Iraq invasion — admits that he advised Prime Minister Tony Blair to attack Al Jazeera’s Baghdad office. “Blunkett justifies his position by saying that “I don’t think that there are targets in a war that you can rule out because you don’t actually have military personnel inside them if they are attempting to win a propaganda battle on behalf of your enemy.” Al Jazeera Network is outraged at such an attitude towards the free Press. We are troubled by the fact that the former home secretary’s advice came only two weeks before the actual bombing of Al Jazeera’s Baghdad office, which resulted in the death of our reporter, Tareq Ayoub, and the destruction of our facilities. “As an international news organisation, Al Jazeera Network is obliged by law to address its employees’ increasing concerns for their very lives. We find Mr Blunkett’s allegations and position to be irresponsible and dangerous not only for Al Jazeera but for the freedom of media everywhere in the world. Given the weight of Mr Blunkett’s statements we strongly urge Prime Minister Blair for a clarification of this matter in alignment with the tenants of freedom and democracy which they advocate. Al Jazeera is in consultation with its lawyers and pursuing next steps in the matter.” The Al Jazeera Network includes the original Al Jazeera Channel (in Arabic), Al Jazeera Live, Al Jazeera Sports, and aljazeera.net web sites in Arabic and English, and an aljazeera sms headline news service. Al Jazeera Children’s Channel operates in association with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and Al Jazeera International, a 24-hour news and information channel in English, is scheduled to open later this year. Analysts expect the opening may coincide with the 10th anniversary of the channel’s first broadcasts.
