Heavy explosions rock Baghdad, Iraqi TV possible target

2.45pm

BAGHDAD - Twenty-four large explosions struck the southern outskirts of the Iraqi capital Baghdad as dawn broke today and another hit the city centre, a Reuters witness said.

"They seem to be really heavy bombs and buildings in the city centre are shaking," Reuters correspondent Nadim Ladki said.

No anti-aircraft fire could be seen and air raid sirens remained silent in the city of over five million people.

Ladki said smoke could be seen rising from an area of Baghdad where the ministry of information and television station are situated.

Iraq's satellite television on Wednesday morning in Iraq was showing either a blank screen or sporadic still pictures which suggested technicians were struggling to bring it back.

Iraq's domestic television normally does not start broadcasting until later in the day.

Late on Tuesday night several large explosions were heard in the city centre and televisions in one hotel where journalists were staying immediately went black. The television resumed broadcasting later.

An official at Iraq's television station blamed a "technical problem in the transmitters" for the blackout.

For most Iraqis, limited to news from state-run media, every day brings fresh victories over invading US and British forces.

Daily television news bulletins show downed US strike helicopters, captured US soldiers and "heroic" resistance by Iraqis in battle.

President Saddam Hussein broadcasts to the nation, exhorting his troops and calling on all Iraqis to stand firm and defeat the enemy. Ministers promise more casualties among the "infidel invaders" advancing towards Baghdad.

Iraqi viewers do not see the vivid international footage of the relentless bombardment of their capital.

Nor were they shown pictures of the first US and British tanks rolling into the south of their country late last week, spearheading a US-led drive to overthrow Saddam and disarm Iraq of alleged weapons of mass destruction.

In the propaganda war being fought out by both sides on the sidelines of the military action, the Iraqi media is playing to national pride and patriotism.

There is a constant feed of military music, repeats of the latest Saddam footage, Muslim prayer and readings from the Koran, Islam's holy book.

Muslim clerics have special programmes to rally the masses against a "war on Islam", drawing on sayings by the Prophet Mohammad on "martyrdom" and jihad (holy struggle) against the invaders.

"We are in our sacred country... These evil infidels, British and Americans... the enemies of Islam have launched a hypocritical, vicious and spiteful war on Iraq and Muslims," one cleric told viewers.

"This Iraq will not kneel and will not bow, except to God."

During this war the Iraqi officials have been more accessible than ever, holding daily news briefings on the progress of battles across southern Iraq.

The networks - newly launched Dubai-based Al Arabiya, Qatar's widely watched Al Jazeera and the up-and-coming Abu Dhabi TV (ADTV) - have huge operations in Iraq which often break news that is quickly picked up by news agencies and household names like CNN and the BBC.

In the 1991 Gulf war, when a US-led coalition drove Saddam's army out of neighbouring Kuwait, Iraq's media boasted preposterous victories.

Twelve years on, television and newspapers are no longer in denial. Losses are reported in an apparent effort to gird and strengthen public and military resolve.

In daily broadcasts, Iraqi television mourns the nation's "martyrs" slain in combat with US and British troops in towns and cities across southern Iraq.

Individual soldiers, tribesmen and members of the ruling Baath party from different ethnic and religious sects are named for their bravery in "repelling the enemy".

Video of mass anti-war protests and rioting from around the world - from London and San Francisco to Cairo and Hamburg - is replayed over and over again, telling Iraqis they have widespread support abroad.

"Iraq is scoring every day a new victory that demonstrates Iraqi heroism, unveils the enemies' weakness, destroys their foolish arrogance and humiliates their stature as they confront the people of Iraq and its forces," a military spokesman said.

Some Baghdad residents try to broaden their news intake, secretly tuning in to Arabic language radio stations like Radio Monte Carlo and the BBC's World Service in the early morning or late at night to avoid state jamming of radio frequencies.

Only a tiny minority of Iraqis risk having satellite TV channels, such as al-Jazeera. In Iraq, satellites are either banned or unaffordable. Discovery risks a heavy fine.

State-run newspapers, too, appeal to Iraqis' sense of patriotism, their pages full of pictures of Saddam meeting military commanders, in control. Banner headlines trumpet battle successes.

The media has become a rallying call to all corners of Iraq, mobilising the nation's 25 million people - from Sunni Muslims loyal to Saddam, to Kurds, tribesmen, Baath party faithful and the majority Shi'ites, many of whom rose against Saddam after the 1991 Gulf War.

In a clear pitch to keep the Shi'ites on board, one of the most repeated TV clips is of Saddam praying at the Shi'ite shrine of Imam Hussein at Kerbala.

The dawn raids on Wednesday came as a sandstorm that has enveloped Baghdad and hampered visibility eased. The sky was cloudy but visibility quite good.

President Saddam Hussein's trusted Republican Guards are believed to be dug in on the southern flank of the city to defend it against invading US and British forces.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq