BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Reuters demanded the immediate release on Monday of an Iraqi cameraman who was still being held by U.S. forces more than 24 hours after being wounded in an incident in which his soundman was killed.

Iraqi police said the news team was shot by U.S. soldiers.

The U.S. military said it was still investigating and refused to say what questions it was putting to cameraman Haider Kadhem. It would not say where in Baghdad he was held nor identify the unit holding him.

"Reuters demands the immediate release of Haider Kadhem," Global Managing Editor David Schlesinger said.

"We fail to understand what reason there can be for his continued detention more than a day after he was the innocent victim of an incident in which his colleague was killed."

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Whetstone, a military spokesman, said: "He is being questioned by our investigating officer."

He said there were "inconsistencies" in Kadhem's statements and officers were looking into "events that led up to the incident." No military investigator, however, had contacted Reuters, whose senior staff offered a full account of the assignment on which they dispatched the journalists shortly before they were shot.

Soundman Waleed Khaled was buried on Monday after he was hit several times in the head and chest while driving his car, an ordinary passenger vehicle, on the assignment in western Baghdad. Kadhem was wounded in the back. Whetstone said the wound was "superficial" and he had been treated "on location."

If Kaled and Kadhem were shot by U.S. soldiers (and weren't doing anything wrong) then this is a tragedy. That being said, where does Reuters get off demanding Kadhem's release?

Kadhem has no doubt received the medical attention he needs from the U.S. forces. Before he can be released those same forces must do their due diligence in investigating the shooting and whatever other issues surround Kadhem. He was, after all, taken into custody in a war zone. Just because he works for Reuters doesn't mean he hasn't been working with the terrorists. Some of the Iraqis who have worked with U.S. forces have been found to be working for the terrorists as well, who's to say that Kadhem couldn't have been a terrorist using a journalist's guise to cover his actions? And, of course, Reuters doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to being buddy/buddy with terrorists.

Regardless, Reuters needs to cease their imperious demands and start cooperating. A little cooperation would likely get Kadhem cleared and freed faster then ten condescending articles demanding his release.