KABUL — A joint NATO-Afghan force arrested an Afghan journalist and is investigating suspicions that he may have been too close to Taliban militants.
Relatives of the journalist, Rahmatullah Naikzad, strongly denied the allegations that he may have spread insurgent propaganda and filmed attacks tied to last weekend’s parliamentary elections. The NATO statement announcing his detention did not detail the accusations.
According to colleagues, Naikzad was in regular contact with members of the Taliban and government officials so he could report on insurgent and government activities. He is an ethnic Tajik, a group that tends to be hostile to the Taliban.
Since late 2007, The Associated Press has used video and photographs supplied by Naikzad on a freelance basis. An active local radio journalist, he also has worked for Al- Jazeera Arabic service, according to his brother, Abdullah Naikzad.
The Associated Press
