http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2006-11-22\kurd1.htm
Government-backed militias killed comedian
A militia group linked to the government is leading a campaign of intimidation and murder against reporters and employees of Azzaman and its sister media outlets.
On Monday, al-Shariqiya, the television network which is part of Azzaman Group, lost its star comedian who made Iraqis laugh at their corrupt politicians, the U.S. occupiers as well as the insurgents.
This murderous militia group is targeting Azzaman and its sister outlets as part of a campaign to forced them to leave the country.
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Azzaman and al-Sharqiya are under threat. The group wrote to the minister of interior on November 14 asking for protection making it clear that the threats were serious.\their
The ministry took no measures at all and instead it sent a police force to al-Sharqiya office in Baghdad. The force encircled the building and asked the employees to surrender.