The Iraqi Journalists union called on for a sit-in in front of its headquarters on Wednesday, to protest a raid on its offices by American forces and the arresting of ten guards, and the confiscation their weapons.

Shihab al-Tamimi, chairman the organization, called on US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and on the commander of US forces in Iraq to intervene personally to secure the release of the ten captured guards, according to Voices of Iraq.

Tamimi said that US forces staged the raid in the Kasra district of central Baghdad after hours on Monday evening. “American soldiers broke down the doors to employees' offices and tampered with journalists' files, and left the building in very vulnerable conditions with broken doors and without guards," Tamimi said.

Private documents and papers were strewn about the office, al-Melaf reports in Arabic.

"The syndicate strongly denounced this act and called on all Iraqis to stage a sit-in outside the headquarters to protest the attack," said Tamimi. "The union condemns this strange and irresponsible behaviour and holds these occupying forces responsible for the guards' safety."

Timimi called out for support from journalists around the world, and demanded that the Iraqi government "take a patriotic stand to prevent such violations of Iraqi unions and institutions."

Weapons confiscated by the US had been legally licensed, he added.

The US military has not commented on the raid.