British journalist killed in Baghdad

A British journalist was shot dead in Baghdad outside the Iraqi National Museum last night. The man, described as a freelance television picture researcher, is the 16th journalist to be killed in Iraq since the start of the war on 20 March.

His death comes less than two weeks after six British military police were killed during a demonstration in the south of the country. Ambushes, shootings and other attacks, blamed on forces loyal to Saddam Hussein, have plagued coalition soldiers in Iraq in recent weeks. An American soldier guarding the museum was killed by a sniper on Thursday.

The Foreign Office confirmed that a man had been shot but refused to disclose further details. "We are urgently investigating reports of a British freelance journalist being shot today in Baghdad," a spokesman said. The body of the man, who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, was being held by US forces.

A US military spokesman said the man worked for ITN but a statement by the organisation said that he wasn't one of its employees, although he had worked for it in the past. The US military said an investigation was under way.