Al-Jazeera Journalist Has Conviction Upheld

The Spanish supreme court has upheld the conviction of al-Jazeera journalist Taysir Allouni, despite the fact that he was acquitted over alleged links with al-Qaida.

Allouni, a Syrian-born Spanish citizen, was sentenced by a Spanish court in September 2005 to seven years in prison for collaboration with al-Qaida, but both the journalist and al-Jazeera maintain his innocence.

An appeal by the Arabic satellite news channel against Allouni's conviction has failed, despite the celebrated war correspondent being acquitted of any alleged links with al-Qaida.

Al-Jazeera has reacted with "astonishment and deep dismay" at the court's decision to uphold Allouni's conviction and said it is in consultation with lawyers with a view to appealing to the constitutional court.

"Taysir is recognized by the journalistic community as a distinguished correspondent known for his integrity and commitment to the profession," said Wadah Khanfar, the director general of the al-Jazeera network.

"And al-Jazeera will continue to fully support him and the efforts to appeal his case."

Mr Khanfar re-affirmed the network's solidarity with Allouni and al-Jazeera's certainty of his innocence.

Allouni, the only journalist to have interviewed Osama bin Laden post 9/11, was arrested in September 2003 and blames the US authorities for pressuring Spain to arrest him.

He was released on bail on health grounds but rearrested in November 2004 and held in solitary confinement in a prison on the outskirts of Madrid. Between March 2005 and his conviction in September he was placed under house arrest.

Allouni was one of 41 people charged by Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon with links to or membership of al-Qaida, a charge denied by the journalist, who made his name reporting on the Afghan and Iraq conflicts.

Having been cleared of the main charges, some believe Allouni's conviction was more political than evidential.