A Patriot missile was launched accidentally from a US military base in the Gulf state of Qatar, crashing into a farm but causing no casualties, Al-Jazeera television reported on Tuesday. "A Patriot missile landed on a farm belonging to a Qatari national after being fired by accident from the As-Sailiyah camp," the Doha-based satellite channel said.
According to unconfirmed reports, the missile exploded in mid-air, scattering debris over the farm, which is situated in the desert north of As-Sailiyah. "We're investigating the incident, which happened last night," said a spokswoman at the US base, Holley Silkman, who refused to make any further comment on what had occurred.
A Qatari military police vehicle was stationed at the entrance to the farm and reporters were refused access to the site, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) southwest of Doha. Qatar, a member of the pro-Western Gulf Cooperation Council, hosts the US army's Central Command which directed the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.