BBC Monitoring

Al-Ra'y satellite channel, reportedly broadcasting from Syria and owned by Iraqi politician Mish'an al-Juburi, owner of the Iraqi Al-Zawraa satellite channel which had stopped transmission, has been observed to post a test card on Nilesat with the following coordinates:

Frequency - 10911 MHz; Polarization - vertical; symbol rate - 27500; FEC: 3/4

The following words which are part of an old Arabic verse of poetry are shown on the screen next to the channel's logo: "Wisdom Precedes the Courage of the Brave"

Set against a red background, the following words appear on the screen as part of the test card: "Wait for us."

Background

Al-Zawraa (or Al-Zawra) TV is owned by Mishan Juburi, leader of the Sunni Arab Front for Reconciliation and Liberation. He was stripped of his parliamentary immunity in October 2006 after being accused of embezzlement. On 15 November 2006 the channel was ordered closed "for inciting violence and murder".

The station reopened in late November 2006, transmitting looped programming on the Nilesat satellite. The station's headquarters were said to be in Syria after the closure of its offices in Iraq, but the playout of the programming was maintained by Nilesat. The station was accused of having close links to militant groups in Iraq, and much of its programming consisted of pro-Sunni, anti-Shi'i propaganda, containing footage of attacks on US-led coalition forces, and on-screen announcements by presenters wearing olive green Ba'th party combat fatigues. Logos of the Islamic Army in Iraq and the Mujahidin Shura Council of Al-Qa! 'idah in Iraq were noted in footage of attacks.

In January 2007, the station was noted broadcasting on the Eutelsat-owned Eurobird satellite and on the Arabsat/Badr satellite, both at the 26 degrees east orbital position. The Eurobird outlet was closed after only a few days' operation.

On 17 July 2007 the channel apologized to its viewers for the constant interruption to its signal, which it claimed was caused by jamming. BBC Monitoring observed that reception of the Al-Zawraa channel on Badr 4 was intermittent since 7 July, but that the station operated normally on 10-11 July. The station closed in July 2007.

On 24 July 2007, "Al-Fida'i" posted to The Hanin Net website a statement announcing that Al-Zawraa had been shelled by US forces and that most of the staff were killed.

Source: BBC Monitoring research 18 Oct 07