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Alert

President's aide launches defamation suit against US-based online newspaper

(MFWA/IFEX) - A man said to be a close ally of President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia on August 25, 2010 filed a lawsuit in the United States of America against the US-based online Freedom Newspaper, its editor Pa Nderry M'Bai and Freedom Newspaper Incorporated, the publishers.

Amadou Samba, a businessman and the publisher of pro-government Banjul-based "The Daily Observer" newspaper, is demanding that Freedom Newspaper make public the names of its sources and staff and their contacts in the Gambia within thirty days from August 25.

According to a writ signed by Philip R. Isley, a North Carolina lawyer, Samba will head for court if the newspaper fails to meet his demand and will then claim damages of US$10,000 for his client.

In a 2009 article, Freedom Newspaper falsely reported that Samba had been arrested over a coup attempt. The newspaper also linked Samba to drug trafficking.

The suit comes after the newspaper had retracted the stories and published rejoinders.