SDPFIQ accuses local official in Anbar of threatening journalist

ANBAR / IraqiNews.com: The Society to Defending Press Freedom in Iraq (SDPFIQ) on Monday accused Sheikh Efan Saadon al-Efan, a member of al-Anbar provincial council, of threatening Journalist Ahmed al-Dulaimi, who works for the state-run Al-Iraqiya TV station. The Organization said that the official threatened to cut the journalist’s head, a claim denied by the chieftain, who said that the whole issue was just a misunderstanding that was resolved. “Al-Dulaimi was in the process of producing a documentary about the role of chieftains in eliminating the al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) Organization,” the SDPFIQ said in a release received by Iraqi News. The non-governmental organization said that Sheikh al-Efan made the threat as al-Dulaimi did not consider him to speak for the documentary. “In addition to the threat, al-Efan also cursed the reporter and addressed impolite words to him,” it said. The SDPFIQ stressed that a disappointing act like this one should not be made by an official. For his part, Sheikh al-Efan denied that he threatened al-Dulaimi. “I respect the media and media-men,” al-Efan said. He said that he had no heated argument with al-Dulaimi, but just a discussion. “I really don’t know why this issue was exaggerated,” al-Efan said. MH (S) / SS 1