LONDON, England (CNN) — The White House characterized as “outlandish” Tuesday a British newspaper report that President Bush once discussed bombing the headquarters of Arabic-language television network Al-Jazeera with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Al-Jazeera, based in Qatar, called on the British government to confirm or deny the report, which appeared Tuesday in the Daily Mirror, a London tabloid.

The network has been a frequent target of U.S. criticism, and its facilities have been hit by U.S. bombs in Afghanistan and Iraq. Al-Jazeera said the Daily Mirror report would be “both shocking and worrisome” if true. (Watch whether Bush considered targeting the television network –1:42)

“It would cast serious doubts in regard to the U.S. administration’s version of previous incidents involving Al-Jazeera’s journalists and offices,” the network said in a statement.

“It would also constitute a new chapter in the relationship between two of the most powerful governments in the world and media organizations in general,” the statement said.

The Daily Mirror reported that Blair talked Bush out of launching an airstrike against Al-Jazeera’s headquarters in Qatar — a U.S. ally — during an April 16, 2004, meeting at the White House.

Full Story

[Censorship is nothing new in Iraq war, read stories below-ed]

Aljazeera has promised to continue its Iraq coverage despite the one-month closure of its Baghdad office announced by the Iraqi interim government on Saturday.

Lawyers said they were given a document stating Aljazeera had to promise to change its policy regarding its Iraq coverage if it wanted the office to be re-opened after the one-month punishment.

Read Full Story Here

The mainstream media (MSM) has been gagged from publishing the memo which alleges Bush threatened to bomb Al Jazeera. That’s okay since the world has shifted - information cannot be controled by the select few. This is a call to all bloggers, scholars, politicians and people of conscience.

http://www.friendsofaljazeera.org/