The Freedom Newspaper is accusing the Gambia Telecommunication Company (GAMTEL), the country's main Internet service provider, of blocking the online paper's Web sites' IP-address because of a story it carried about the company, online newspaper Foroyaa reported Wednesday.

The Freedom Newspaper reported March 9 that GAMTEL was on the edge of total bankruptcy for its misconduct.

Gambians have not been able to access the U.S.-based online paper; the newspaper is recognised as criticising President Alhaji Yahya Jammeh's administration. The only way to access the paper is to be outside the borders of Gambia, according to the Foroyaa article, posted by AllAfrica.com.

Foroyaa, a Gambian paper, reported that it talked to Yaya Manneh, head of the Internet division at GAMTEL, who said he could not discuss the matter. Trying to reach other people at the company were also unsuccessful.

This is not the first case of online control exercised by GAMTEL and the Gambian government, Foroyaa reported.