Furious with the broadcast of an interview with Chechnya's top warlord, the head of Russia's military has declared ABC News to be "persona non grata."
An excerpt:
Today I have given the order to the head of the press service that not one serviceman of the defence ministry should have contact with the American television channel ABC," Mr (Sergei) Ivanov said in televised comments.
CLAIMED BY SHAMIL BASAYEVSeptember 2004: Gunmen seize school in Beslan, 320 deathsAugust 2004: Suicide bombers destroy two airliners leaving Moscow, 89 deathsAugust 2004: Suicide bomber kills 10 outside a Moscow metro stationOctober 2002: Gunmen seize Moscow theatre, 129 deaths"We will continue to act openly with the press, but this channel will not be invited to the defence ministry and no interviews will ever be given to it.
"This channel is now persona non grata for the defence ministry and is an outcast."
On Friday, the Russian foreign ministry summoned a top US diplomat to express its "strong indignation" at the broadcast.
The interview conducted by Russian journalist Andrei Babitsky was recorded at the warlord's hideout in Chechnya.
However, Russia's foreign ministry says it won't deny ABC News accreditation.