November 29, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 18, 1428

BAGHDAD, Nov 28: The angry family of an Iraqi journalist went on local television on Wednesday to blast him for claiming they had been massacred three days ago by Shia militiamen in Baghdad.

“We are still alive. Thank God!” the sister of the journalist said, before bursting into tears.

The journalist, Dia al-Kawwaz, had said she was among the 11 family members slaughtered by militamen on Sunday in his home in Baghdad’s northern Al-Shaab neighbourhood.

Al-Hurrah television paraded the relatives of Kawwaz, clearly alive — and clearly angry.

“No one attacked us ... militias or special forces. Nobody stormed our home. He even organised a condolence meeting to mourn our deaths. But we are alive. We are ashamed that he is our brother,” said the sister, wearing a green dress and headscarf.State television also spoke to Kawwaz’s mother, who said she was in Kut, south of Baghdad.

“I disown him. I consider that I do not have a son. He is a liar,” the agitated woman said on the channel which did not show her picture.

“We all are fine and peaceful. I don’t know why he did that.”

After the broadcast, Kawwaz confirmed by telephone from Amman that those shown on Al Hurrah were indeed his family members.

“She is my sister. They (government) forced her to appear on TV. They have been threatened with death and their passports have been confiscated by the interior ministry,” Kawwaz said.

When probed further for details he suddenly hung up the phone saying:

“Leave me alone.” On Monday, a report on Kawwaz’s website Shabekat Akhbar al-Iraq (Network of Iraqi News) had elaborately described the way his family members were killed, saying the attacker sprayed them with gunfire and later bombed the house.

Earlier yesterday Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh denied the killings and said the journalist’s family was safe in Baghdad.

“There was no physical liquidation of any member of his family,” Dabbagh told reporters.

He said he had spoken to Kawwaz’s mother, who denied the massacre.

Dabbagh said an interior ministry team had investigated the allegations of Kawwaz and concluded no killings had occurred, adding that one relative of Kawwaz had died in an accident in Kut.

Police officers from Al-Shaab neighbourhood also denied the killings.—AFP