British journalist seized by US troops while investigating corruption

[julianer]

<extract>
Award winning journalist Ali Fadhil was subjected to a terrifying ordeal on Sunday, January 8 as US troops blasted their way into his Baghdad home, firing bullets into the bedroom where he was sleeping.

The incident was reported by the Guardian newspaper in Britain on Monday and has been noticeably absent from other news sources, not least those within the United States. Fadhil is working for Guardian Films on an investigation for Britain’s Channel 4’s “Dispatches” program into claims that tens of millions of dollars in Iraqi funds held by the Americans and the British have been misused or misappropriated.

The occupying troops claimed to be searching for an Iraqi insurgent. Fadhil has said that US forces stormed his home in Baghdad while he was sleeping with his wife, their three-year-old daughter and seven-month-old son in the same room.

“They fired into the bedroom where we were sleeping, then three soldiers came in. They rolled me on to the floor and tied my hands. When I tried to ask them what they were looking for they just told me to shut up,” Fadhil said.
</extract>

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/jan2006/jour-j11.shtml

Edit: headline too long.

[acmavm]

1. Our troops would do this to a journalist investigating corruption in Iraq?

I'm shocked I tell ya. Just shocked and awed.

(Not really)

[acmejack]

2. We prefer our corruption remains secret!

[MsMagnificent]

3. Firing weapons into their bedroom...

with 2 babies in there no less.

Oh yes, the honor, the fairness, the balance, the precision!
The winning of hearts and minds -- all strung on soldiers belts.

[julianer]

4. More...

'Fadhil, who is best known for his documentary film on the aftermath of the Fallujah massacre, won the Foreign Press Association young journalist of the year award last year. He was hooded and taken away for questioning by US soldiers, and released hours later.

The director of the film Fadhil is working on, Callum Macrae, told the Guardian, “The timing and nature of this raid is extremely disturbing. It is only a few days since we first approached the US authorities and told them Ali was doing this investigation, and asked them then to grant him an interview about our findings.

“We need a convincing assurance from the American authorities that this terrifying experience was not harassment and a crude attempt to discourage Ali’s investigation.”

Whether or not Macrae’s request for “convincing assurance” is met, his suspicions are entirely justified when judged against past practices of the occupation forces in Iraq.'

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Fadhil's own article on this is here

It began at half past midnight on Saturday when explosives blew apart the three entrances to my house. We thought we had been caught in a bombing, but then a rifle sneaked round our bedroom door and shot a couple of bullets blindly; suddenly our room was filled with the wild sounds of US soldiers.

My three-year-old daughter Sarah woke to this nightmare. She pushed herself on to me and shouted "Daddy, Americans! They will take you! No, no, not like this daddy ..." She tried to say something to one of the soldiers but her tears stopped her from speaking. Instead of blaming the soldier I could see she was blaming me. I tried to calm her down but as I did so the soldier threw me on to the ground and tied me.

They then took me downstairs and made me sit in the living room while they smashed every piece of furniture we have. There were about 20 soldiers inside the house and several others on guard on the roof. A blue-eyed captain came to me holding my Handycam camcorder and questioned me aggressively: "Can you explain to me why you have this footage?"
...
But that was not good enough. He seemed to think he had found very important evidence. Hooded and with my hands tied I was taken to an armoured vehicle.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1683741,00.html