The International Federation ofJournalists today condemned the bombing of Iraqi televisionby coalition forces as an unjustified act of revenge.
"It is part of the psychological war in which journalists andmedia staff are the victims," said Aidan White, general secretaryfor the Brussels-based lobby group.
He ascribed the overnight bombing, which took the state TVstation off the air for 45 minutes, to "the anger and frustration ofpolitical leaders in the United States" over the showing of Americanprisoners of war on the network.
"This is the only credible explanation for this attack," hesaid.
The raids came a day after the state broadcaster carried grislyfootage of US POWs and dead, as well as assurances that PresidentSaddam Hussein remained in control of Iraq.
White also ridiculed claims that Saddam was using the TV stationto broadcast coded messages to his troops.
"The idea that Iraqi soldiers are sitting in the desert watchingtelevision to get their orders is absurd.
"But it shows the desperate lengths that some will go to justifywhat is a serious and dangerous escalation of action againstcivilian targets," he said.
The bombing was the latest incident of a dangerous precedent setby an attack on Serbian TV during the 1999 Kosovo war, the IFJcomplained.
"Once again, we see military and political commanders from thedemocratic world targeting a television network simply because theydon't like the message it gives out," said White. AFP