U.S. Says It Has a Right to Detain Photographer

The Pentagon defended its months-long detention of an Associated Press photographer in Iraq, saying it has authority to hold him indefinitely without charges because it believes he had improper ties to insurgents.

But journalism organizations said that covering all sides in the Iraq war sometimes requires contacts with insurgents. They called on the Pentagon to either bring charges against photographer Bilal Hussein so he can defend himself or release him. Hussein, an Iraqi, was captured in Ramadi on April 12.

Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said he believed Hussein was “involved in activities that were well outside the scope of what you would expect a journalist to be doing.” He refused to provide details.