Iraq to sue Al-Jazeera satellite news channel

BAGHDAD, July 5 (KUNA) -- The Iraqi government has decided to sue Al-Jazeera satellite news channel, after it had falsely aired scenes of a public execution which it identified as taking place in the southern Iraqi province of Karbala, Iraqi government spokesman Ali Al-Dabagh said on Saturday.
In fact, the Iraqi government notes that the killings involved Afghans who allegedly had raped and murdered a girl in the Iranian city of Karaj near the capital.
Last night, Al-Dabagh was quoted by the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency as saying that the case has moved to the legal department in the government to see if it can sue the Doha-based channel under international law.
Earlier Friday, Al-Dabagh warned that al-Jazeera would lose credibility after showing scenes of an execution which it said took place during clashes last March between Iraqi forces and militants of al-Mahdi army loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
The "six-month-old scenes show the execution of five Afghans who were convicted of raping and murdering a girl in Iran, which is clear from the white clothes the police were wearing," Al-Dabagh added.
Last Thursday, Al-Jazeera aired scenes of a public execution recorded by a mobile phone, showing five people handcuffed prior to their execution.

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