Aljazeera has hired a British law firm to press its request to British Prime Minister Tony Blair for a partial transcript of a conversation between him and US President George Bush, in which the American leader allegedly said the Arab broadcaster's headquarters should be bombed.
Yosri Fouda, an investigative reporter and acting Aljazeera bureau chief in London, said the network had hired Finers Stephens Innocent LLP in an "attempt to put pressure on the British government" to hand over part of the record of the conversation.
"We would like to know the truth," Fouda said in a telephone interview.
The news channel, which is highly popular throughout the Middle East, wanted to "set the record straight" concerning the Bush-Blair conversation.
Fouda said the network was only asking for a transcription of "the 10 lines" of the conversation that purportedly involved the Doha, Qatar-based Aljazeera, conceding that Britain's desire to keep the rest of the conversation secret was understandable as a matter of state security.
The Press Association reported that Blair's spokesman said the prime minister's office would reply properly in terms of any request to us, although it would remain the practice not to disclose details of private conversations between Mr Blair and President Bush "and any other world leaders".
"But what we can confirm is that the memo doesn't refer to bombing the Aljazeera television station in Qatar" or any other place, said the spokesman on traditional condition of anonymity.
"We are saying this because a specific allegation, despite our firm attempts at denial, has been repeated over and over and I think it's right to clarify that.
"But it's equally wrong to release details of a very private conversation the Prime Minister has with world leaders.
"There's a freedom of information request in. We will reply within 20 working days," the Blair spokesman said.
Fouda said the law firm sent its request to Blair's secretary on January 12.
Blair's office has sent a confirmation of receipt.
News of Bush's alleged remarks during a White House meeting with Blair on April 16, 2004, were first reported by the British Daily Mirror tabloid in late November.
The newspaper said the remarks were detailed in a leaked secret British government memo.
According to the newspaper, Blair argued against Bush's suggestion.
Yesterday, a Blair spokeswoman said "in spite of various allegations the memo does not refer to the bombing of the Aljazeera TV station".
When it disclosed the alleged memo, the Daily Mirror reported that its sources disagreed on whether Bush was serious about the bombing comment.
At the time, White House spokesman Scott McClellan called the newspaper's claims "outlandish and inconceivable".
Blair has said he had no information about any proposed US action against Aljazeera, an answer Fouda said was insufficient to explain what was really said during the conversation.
On January 10, a judge ordered two British men to stand trial on charges of leaking the memo.
