23/12/2007
Aljazeera television withdrew a poll posted on its web site following a controversy it sparked in Algeria, Ech Chourouk reported on Saturday (December 22nd). After the deadly twin al-Qaeda claimed blasts on December 11th in Algiers, a poll from the Qatari-based channel asked, "Do you support al-Qaeda's attacks in Algeria?" Only 42% of the 30,000 participants reportedly disagreed with the terrorism acts.
Algerian media, led by the national TV (ENTV) condemned what they said were "unprofessional" practices by the news channel. Reportedly, Algerian reporters working for Aljazeera also called upon their managers to address "official apologies to the Algerian people", launch an inquiry and "punish the people in charge of this blunder."
Several organisations, such as Victims of the Algerian Islamist Terrorism, decided to start legal actions against Aljazeera, El Watan reported. They called on the Arab League, the African Union, the African Committee of Human Rights and national and international NGOs to support them in their efforts to stop what they said were attempts of advocating Islamist terrorism. The National Union of Algerian Women (UNFA) also joined the protest.