Iraqi Interim Government Lifts Ban on Al-Arabiya
VOA News
28 Jan 2004, 19:18 UTC
The Iraqi interim government has lifted a two-month ban on the Arabic television broadcaster al-Arabiya, and is allowing the station to re-open its Baghdad offices.
Al-Arabiya was banned from broadcasting from Iraq in late November, after it aired a tape from Saddam Hussein in which the ousted leader called on his followers to attack and kill members of the U.S.-backed governing council.
The interim government accused the station of inciting murder, and closed its offices November 24. The next day, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said it appeared that al-Arabiya and its broadcast competitor, al-Jazeera, were being tipped off ahead of time by insurgents to witness attacks in the country. Both networks denied the charges.
Council authorities say the al-Arabiya ban was lifted after the station promised it will abide by post-war Iraqi rules governing media coverage.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.
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