vigilant TV

An Israeli and a Portugese journalist say they were detained as possible spies and beaten by US troops in Iraq, before being deported from Kuwait.

In an interview with Channel One, Semama said he was politely asked by
the Kuwaitis to leave the country, and he returned to Israel.

U.S. troops in Iraq detained Semama and Boaz Bismuth of Yediot Aharonoth
as well as a Portuguese colleague on suspicion of espionage and beat one
of them, relatives said Friday. They were released after 48 hours.

The journalists entered Iraq without proper accreditation. Semama said
earlier in the week that he had been denied accreditation because he
represented Israeli television. The two teamed up with the Portuguese TV
reporter, rented a jeep, and entered Iraq on their own, driving
alongside American convoys. They phoned in reports based on
conversations with U.S. troops and Iraqis.

Speaking to Channel One news from Kuwait, Dan Semama said Friday that
the Americans treated them as spies and terrorists for the 48 hours of
their detention. “We were humiliated for many hours. They did not let us
eat and they took all the means of communication we had on us.”

[...]

The Portuguese journalist asked to phone home and was beaten, the two
said. His ribs were broken and he is now hospitalized.

– Ha’aretz, href=”http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=278451&contrassID=1&subContrassID=7&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y”>Israeli
journalist returns home after detention
by U.S. troops.