Terror group praises Al-Jazeera

2006-09-25 23:53

Cairo - A major insurgent group in Iraq praised Al-Jazeera television in an audio message posted on the internet on Sunday, saying the Arab satellite station served the fight against the Americans.

The speaker was not identified on tape, but a statement alongside it said it was the head of the Islamic Army in Iraq, and that the recording was issued to mark the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

The identity of the Sunni group's leader is unknown.

Most media played an "ugly and criminal role against the holy warriors", the voice said.

"But some media - though few and under pressure - were neutral and their important role was positive in our fight against the enemies. This includes Al-Jazeera."

The group's spokesperson, Ibrahim al-Shammari, is a frequent guest on Al-Jazeera, advocating Iraq's right to fight against foreign forces he has called occupiers.

US officials have criticised the Qatar-based channel, accusing it of fuelling anti-American sentiment across the Middle East and giving terrorists a podium.

Lies

The voice on the tape said the worst media coverage of the Iraq situation came from the Iraqi government's own Al-Iraqiya TV, which "played the ugliest role and carried out the worst work".

"Everything that appears on this channel about the confessions of the holy warriors, or the terrorists as they are labelled, are lies and sheer delusion," he said.

The channel airs daily interviews with alleged terrorists who describe killing innocent people.

The recording was made relatively recently, because it refers to a phrase US President George W Bush used this past summer when describing America's enemies in the war on terror.

"Criminal Bush lied when he said recently that he was fighting 'Islamic fascism'," the voice said.

"It was a big lie because he himself came from overseas and started the fighting... We fight him and any Arab or Muslim who acts on his behalf."

- AP