Iraqi police release reporter in Najaf

Iraqi police have released an Arab journalist they arrested this week in Najaf, where they have threatened to kill other foreign reporters if they left a hotel where many are staying.

Dubai-based Al Arabiya television says police have released its correspondent Ahmed al-Saleh, who along with many other reporters has been covering fighting between US forces and Shiite militiamen loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

"We don't know yet why they arrested him but they have released him," editor Abdul Sattar Ellazan said, adding that Saleh would continue to cover events in Najaf.

Witnesses say police who went to the hotel threatened the reporters.

"We will kill you if you leave the hotel. I will put four snipers on the roof to shoot anyone who leaves," a police lieutenant said.

Police then fired into the air and pointed their guns at the hotel, witnesses said.

One officer said they were also looking for the correspondents from Reuters and the Associated Press.

On Sunday, Najaf's police chief told local and foreign media to leave the city but Government officials in Baghdad denied there would be a crackdown on the media covering the 12-day uprising.

US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said he had not seen reports that journalists in Najaf were threatened but was investigating the matter.

"I haven't seen reports of anyone threatening to kill journalists in Iraq. Obviously that would be completely out of bounds and totally condemnable if it were true," Mr Casey said.

"We certainly don't want journalists being threatened, being shot by snipers."

--Reuters
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