7:46am UK, Tuesday January 17, 2006

An Arab TV station has begun legal action over allegations that President Bush talked to Tony Blair about bombing its headquarters in Qatar.

Al Jazeera has hired a team of London lawyers to try to obtain minutes of a meeting between the leaders.

180 al jazeera satellite channel

Staff at al Jazeera

Last November, the head of the station, Wadah Khanfar, delivered a letter to Mr Blair demanding to know what was actually said at the White House.

He also said al Jazeera had asked the White House for an explanation.

Also in November, there were reports of a memo showing Mr Blair had talked his US counterpart out of taking action.

Qatar is an ally of America and was the location of US military headquarters during the Iraq war.

The White House rejected reports of the conversation, calling them "outlandish".

But US officials have accused al Jazeera of being a mouthpiece for al Qaeda.

Downing Street has said it was quite happy to talk to al Jazeera as it was to other broadcasters.