"There is no doubt that these attacks could be targeting journalists. If so, they are grave and serious violations of international law," said IFJ head Aidan White.

"The bombing of hotels where journalists are staying and targeting of Arab media are particularly shocking events in a war which is being launched in the name of democracy," the IFJ's secretary general said.

"Those who are responsible must be brought to justice," he said in a statement.

In two separate incidents earlier on Tuesday, bombing attacks on the Iraqi capital by US forces killed three television journalists respectively for Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, Britain's news agency Reuters and Spain's Telecinco.

(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2003)