Authorities harass journalists interviewing al-Zarqawi relatives

JUNE 8, 2006
Posted: June 12, 2006

Al-Jazeera crew, CBS crew
HARRASSED

Jordanian security services abruptly halted a live Al-Jazeera interview with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s brother-in-law, and briefly detained the satellite channel’s interviewer Yasser Abu Hilala, and his crew in al-Zarqa, north of Amman.

Al-Jazeera was interviewing Abu Qudama, who praised his brother-in-law, an al-Qaeda leader killed by the United States in Iraq, when Jordanian security officers interrupted the interview and arrested Qudama, Al-Jazeera reported.

Jordanian officials declined to comment on the arrest, The Associated Press said. Hilala and the Al-Jazeera crew were detained for about 30 minutes and their equipment was confiscated, according to CPJ sources.

A CBS freelance correspondent, and a cameraman waiting to interview Abu Qudama after Al-Jazeera were also detained at the scene, and had their equipment confiscated, according to CPJ sources.