Burkina junta orders 'France 24' off air after Al-Qaeda interview

By opening its antennas to the head of AQIM France 24 ... offers a space of legitimacy to terrorist actions, the junta said

The junta ruling Burkina Faso ordered on Monday the suspension of all broadcasts of France 24 media in the African country, citing an interview with an Al-Qaeda chief broadcast several weeks ago.

"By opening its antennas to the head of AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb), France 24 ... offers a space of legitimacy to terrorist actions. Therefore the government has decided in all responsibility, and in the name of the superior interest of the nation, to suspend sine die the diffusion of France 24 programmes on national territory," the junta said in a statement, referring to the March 6 interview with Abu Obaida Yusuf al-Annabi, the head of AQIM.