Jazeera urges probe into Bush bomb plot report

"We sincerely urge both the White House and Downing Street to challenge the Daily Mirror report," the Qatar-based network said in a statement on Tuesday.

The British tabloid, citing a Downing Street memo marked "Top Secret", reported on Tuesday that British Prime Minister Tony Blair had talked Bush out of launching a military strike on the station.

"Before making any conclusions, Al-Jazeera needs to be absolutely sure regarding the authenticity of the memo and would hope for a confirmation from Downing Street as soon as possible," it said.

If the report is correct then this would be both shocking and worrisome not only to Al-Jazeera but to media organisations across the world.

"It would cast serious doubts in regard to the US administration's version of previous incidents involving Al-Jazeera's journalists and offices," the news channel said.

The television station's coverage of the war in Iraq has drawn criticism from Washington since the invasion.