AP Photog: 18 Months in US Military Jail

[walter_hawn]

<p>The United States Military is still holding award-winning AP photographer

Bilal Hussien, 18 months after his arrest as a 'security threat,' says <a

href="http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=20">Reporters Without

Borders</a>.  According to the group, the photographer has never been

charged or brought before a judge.</p>

 

<p>From the RWB<a

href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23964"> press release</a>:

 "Aged 35, Hussein was arrested by US soldiers in Ramadi, 100 km west of

Baghdad, on 12 April 2006. The US authorities attributed his arrest to his

physical proximity with insurgents, who had given him permission to take photos

of them. Former AP employees have created a support committee for

Hussein’s release. A petition can be signed on their website, <a

href="http://www.freebilal.org">www.freebilal.org</a>"  The Free Bilal

Committee<a class=rvts2

href="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003658020"> recently

submitted the petition</a>, with 1500 signatures on his behalf, to several top

US officials.</p>

 

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Curley">Tom Curley</a>, president

of the Associated Press says the case<a

href="http://www.freebilal.org/articles/gregmitchel.htm"> is about press

freedom</a>.  "It is about the Associated Press. We are the target. Freedom

of the press is the target."</p>

 

[News Editor Applicant]

[claude_batmanghelidj]

This is very interesting. You would think that the authorities would allow this guy to keep doing his work. Reporting is important from all angles. Stupid, stupid, stupid. These cats in charge just don't understand that what makes America strong is freedom. They like to pay lip-service to "freedom" and "democracy" but in reality they simply want to turn America into a repressive police state.

[ellis_vener_photography]

There's been zero proof that he was "helping the enemy" or had any history of doing so. I think if there had been he would have already gone to trial and locked up forever --which I have no problem with.

 

"there is an enemy, isn't there?"

 

Read 1984 recently?

[ned1]

Something else interesting. I read the NY Times and watch CNN every day and I've never heard of this. Why is this not being reported? What else is going one that we don't hear about?

 

Is this being covered in the UK?