Iraq mulls website ban, fuels censorship fears

Iraq is considering blocking websites deemed pornographic or that incite violence or crime, triggering fears of a return to Saddam Hussein-style state censorship and government propaganda. Iraq's Interior Ministry said earlier this week it was looking into banning certain websites, including those it judged are connected to crimes such as money laundering, robbery, prostitution, bomb-making and "terrorism." "We think freedom is relative, not absolute. Some would consider this as restricting freedom, while others (would not)," an Interior Ministry statement said.