http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1682207,00.html

January 9, 2006

American troops in Baghdad yesterday blasted their way into the home of an 
Iraqi journalist working for the Guardian and Channel 4, firing bullets into 
the bedroom where he was sleeping with his wife and children.

Ali Fadhil, who two months ago won the Foreign Press Association young 
journalist of the year award, was hooded and taken for questioning. He was 
released hours later.

Dr Fadhil is working with Guardian Films on an investigation for Channel 4's 
Dispatches programme into claims that tens of millions of dollars worth of 
Iraqi funds held by the Americans and British have been misused or 
misappropriated.

The troops told Dr Fadhil that they were looking for an Iraqi insurgent and 
seized video tapes he had shot for the programme. These have not yet been 
returned.

The director of the film, Callum Macrae, said yesterday: "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."

Dr Fadhil was asleep with his wife, their three-year-old daughter, Sarah, 
and seven-month-old son, Adam, when the troops forced their way in.

"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," he said.



	
	
		
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