August 31, 2003	Sunday	Rajab 2, 1424

DOHA, Aug 30: The Arabic television network Al Jazeera said US forces on Friday detained two of its journalists near the Iraqi city of Ramadi while they were interviewing witnesses about a recent blast.

Another correspondent in Iraq said US soldiers also threatened to fire at staff in the future if they were caught in Ramadi, which has been a hotbed of resistance against US troops.

“(US soldiers) expressed their hatred of Al Jazeera and threatened to open fire on any Al Jazeera correspondent working in Ramadi in the future,” the correspondent said.

A defense official in Washington said two people who had identified themselves as journalists working for Al Jazeera had been detained.

He said an investigation was underway as to why they were in the area and whether they were really journalists.

“They had videotape of the attack, and tape of a possible earlier attack,” the official said.

“An investigation will determine whether they were journalists and were legitimately covering the news.”

Al Jazeera said its two employees had been handed over to US military police.—Reuters