Second Arabiya Journalist Dies After U.S. Shooting

Friday, March 19, 2004
(7:20 AM ET)
By Fiona O'Brien

Reuters Writer

"This is an absolutely clear aggression by the occupation forces against the media. We've told them before not to behave like this [...] They have the right to defend themselves but not to kill people like this in the street at random."

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Reuters
A second Iraqi journalist working for Dubai-based satellite television channel Al Arabiya died on Friday from his wounds a day after U.S. troops shot at them in central Baghdad, the channel said.

Correspondent Ali al-Khatib died in hospital in Baghdad. Arabiya cameraman Ali Abdelaziz died on Thursday from a gunshot wound to the head after U.S. troops opened fire on their car at a checkpoint.

Arab journalists walked out of a Baghdad news conference given by Secretary of State Colin Powell in protest at the lack of security and the killing of the two Arabiya journalists.

A representative of the Iraqi media read out a statement at the start of the news conference, condemning the killing as Powell and Iraq's U.S. governor Paul Bremer looked on.

The journalists then stood up and left the news conference.

* CPJ PROBES OTHER DEATHS

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Dan