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Iraq reporter faces terror charge | Iraq reporter faces terror charge |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The US military says it will recommend criminal charges against an Associated Press photographer detained in 2006 on suspicion of helping Iraqi insurgents. | The US military says it will recommend criminal charges against an Associated Press photographer detained in 2006 on suspicion of helping Iraqi insurgents. |
The Pentagon says additional evidence has come to light proving Bilal Hussein is a "terrorist media operative" who infiltrated the news agency. | The Pentagon says additional evidence has come to light proving Bilal Hussein is a "terrorist media operative" who infiltrated the news agency. |
The case will be passed to Iraqi judges who will decide if he should be tried. | The case will be passed to Iraqi judges who will decide if he should be tried. |
AP says its own investigation has found no evidence that he was anything but an Iraqi journalist working in a war zone. | AP says its own investigation has found no evidence that he was anything but an Iraqi journalist working in a war zone. |
The agency's lawyers say they have been denied access to Mr Hussein and the evidence against him, making it impossible to build a defence. | The agency's lawyers say they have been denied access to Mr Hussein and the evidence against him, making it impossible to build a defence. |
There's a new leadership in the defence department, but the same callous disregard from justice Tom CurleyAP President | |
AP's president and chief executive officer Tom Curley told the BBC he believed the US military simply wished to keep Mr Hussein in jail as long as possible. | |
He said the US did not want news coming out of Anbar province, which he called an "information black hole". | |
"There's a new leadership in the defence department, but the same callous disregard from justice," Mr Curley told the BBC. | |
Mr Hussein was part of an AP photo team that won a Pulitzer prize in 2005. | Mr Hussein was part of an AP photo team that won a Pulitzer prize in 2005. |
US officials say he had previously aroused suspicion because he was often at the scene of insurgent attacks as they occurred. | US officials say he had previously aroused suspicion because he was often at the scene of insurgent attacks as they occurred. |
'Not convincing' | 'Not convincing' |
AP says Mr Hussein, who is now 36, was taken into custody in April 2006 after sheltering strangers in his home following an explosion near his home in Falluja. | |
US marines later arrived and used his flat as an observation post, where they detained him and his guests as suspected insurgents and confiscated his laptop computer and telephone. | US marines later arrived and used his flat as an observation post, where they detained him and his guests as suspected insurgents and confiscated his laptop computer and telephone. |
Whenever we ask to see what's so convincing we get back something that isn't convincing at all Dave TomlinAP lawyer | |
US-led forces in Iraq possess "convincing and irrefutable evidence that Bilal Hussein is a threat to security and stability as a link to insurgent activity", Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said on Monday. | |
The US military had previously said Mr Hussein was detained for possessing materials for making roadside bombs, insurgent propaganda and a surveillance photo of a US military installation. | The US military had previously said Mr Hussein was detained for possessing materials for making roadside bombs, insurgent propaganda and a surveillance photo of a US military installation. |
He did not disclose what the new evidence is. Mr Hussein could face the death penalty if convicted of aiding insurgents. | He did not disclose what the new evidence is. Mr Hussein could face the death penalty if convicted of aiding insurgents. |
AP says in the past 19 months various allegations have been floated unofficially against Mr Hussein by the US military, but then withdrawn with little explanation. | AP says in the past 19 months various allegations have been floated unofficially against Mr Hussein by the US military, but then withdrawn with little explanation. |
The US military said some of Hussein's work aroused suspicion | |
"Whenever we ask to see what's so convincing we get back something that isn't convincing at all," said AP's lawyer Dave Tomlin. | "Whenever we ask to see what's so convincing we get back something that isn't convincing at all," said AP's lawyer Dave Tomlin. |
In particular, it says there is no evidence that any of Mr Hussein's images were co-ordinated with insurgents or showed the moment of an attack. | |
Mr Curley says Mr Hussein was not interrogated after his first month of detention until a few weeks ago - so he says it is hard to work out what new information may have emerged on the basis of which charges could be laid. | |
He says the American military is working under time constraints as the law obliges it to release Mr Hussein by December 12 unless legal proceedings begin. | |
Calls for his release have been backed by press freedom groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists. | Calls for his release have been backed by press freedom groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists. |