DOHA: Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera said it was consulting its lawyers over comments by British former interior minister David Blunkett defending military action against what he described as an enemy "propaganda mechanism".
The channel, whose Baghdad bureau was bombed by aircraft of the US-led coalition just two weeks after Blunkett said he advised Prime Minister Tony Blair to take it out, expressed outrage at the comments aired by Britain's privately owned Channel Four television Monday.
"Al-Jazeera Network is outraged at such an attitude toward the free press," a statement said.
"We are troubled by the fact that the former home secretary's advice came only two weeks before the actual (April 8, 2003) bombing of Al-Jazeera's Baghdad office, which resulted in the death of our reporter, Tareq Ayoub, and the destruction of our facilities."
"As an international news organization, Al-Jazeera Network is obliged by law to address its employees' increasing concerns for their very lives."
"We find Blunkett's allegations and position to be irresponsible and dangerous not only for Al-Jazeera but for the freedom of media everywhere in the world. Given the weight of Blunkett's statements, we strongly urge Prime Minister Blair for a clarification of this matter in alignment with the tenets of freedom and democracy which they advocate."
"Al-Jazeera is in consultation with its lawyers and pursuing next steps in the matter."
The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera has come in for strong criticism from the coalition for airing statements by Al-Qaeda and other insurgent groups in Iraq.
