Reporters Without Borders condemns attempt to intimidate journalist Ali Hashisho

Reporters Without Borders has condemned an attempt to intimidate Lebanese journalist Ali Hashisho who found grenades left on the windscreen of his car parked outside his home. The international press freedom organisation said it was "concerned about this threat of physical harm to the journalist, the object of which was to silence him and stop him working normally". It called on the police to hold a "swift and thorough" investigation to find and arrest those responsible. Ali Hashisho, correspondent for Lebanese satellite television New TV (NTV) in Saida, southern Lebanon and for Reuters news agency found three grenades left on his car windscreen as he was about to get into the vehicle parked in front of his home on the morning of 28 July. The grenades were accompanied by a letter ordering him to stop writing or broadcasting news in connection with Saida. The letter said his work lacked "credibility" and added that the grenades could be used against him if he failed to obey the instruction. The journalist immediately reported the incident to the local police who began an investigation at the scene. An explosives expert then discovered a fourth grenade concealed under a back tyre. The mayor of Saida, Abdelrahman al-Bizri, released a statement condemning the incident. It is not known who was behind it and Hashisho himself declined to name anyone, saying it was too soon to be sure without further proof. NTV told Reporters Without Borders that it did not want to comment. The television channel is known to be fiercely opposed to Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The proprietor of NTV, Tahsin Khayat, was arrested and held for 24 hours in December 2003, over alleged links with Israel. A few days later the Lebanese authorities slapped a 48-hour ban on the channel's political broadcasts after it put out a report critical of the head of Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon. Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern several times since 2003 that the media and journalists were again being targeted, censored and on occasion falling victim to attacks. On 8 July three press photographers reporting in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, were set upon and beaten and had their equipment temporarily confiscated.