BAGHDAD, Sept. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The Iraqi interim governmentSaturday renewed closure of offices of the Arabic-languagesatellite television network Al-Jazeera over incitement toviolence.

    The decision was taken as the Qatar-based channel did not submitexplanations requested by the Iraqi government, the primeminister's office announced in a statement.

    The statement said during the temporary closure since Aug. 5,the Iraqi Government had expected the al-Jazeera management tooffer an explanation to the presented allegations or to officiallyrequest a description of the possible threat that the channel maybe imposing. However, none of this has happened."

    "Additionally, al-Jazeera TV has not respected the decisiontaken by the ministerial national security committee and hascontinued to broadcast from within Iraq and interview individualson Iraqi soil regardless of the temporary closure order," added it.

    The government, therefore, decided to extend the ban on al-Jazeera from operating within Iraq until a time when itsheadquarters sends an official response of their policies andmotives within Iraq, said the statement.

    Washington and Baghdad has frequently accused al-Jazeera ofinciting violence by screening "exclusive" video tapes from Muslimextremists, including al-Qaida terror network mastermind Osama binLaden. Enditem