I’m sure I speak for all of BBBC when I say we’re very pleased about the release of Alan Johnston.
Let’s now hope :
a) the BBC resist the temptation to give Hamas any more free PR than the facts and the story require.
b) a couple more stories are devoted to the FIVE Brits kidnapped in Iraq a month ago.
Funny, the BBC has a really itchy finger on the censor trigger. They cut the Johnston interview at the point where he says he’s with the “Hamas leader, Ismael Haniya in his home.” Israel radio, however, cuts it off where it apparently was cut – at the point where he says he’s going to be sitting down “to have breakfast with the prime minister.”
Did the BBC consider that just a little too cosy to broadcast?
Might be interesting to watch the fast-growing HYS. Now that he has been released, the BBC obviously feels free to publish a few comments that are not adoring of Johnston, as Anonymous pointed out above:
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=2&edition=2&ttl=20070704110421&messageID=3108083�
Palestinian employees get wages
Hamas, blacklisted as a terrorist organisation in Israel, condemned the decision not to pay its employees.
Excuse me BBC but Hamas is also “blacklisted as a terrorist organisation” by the US, EU and Britain’s very own Foreign Office.
I take it that this example of pro-Hamas whitewashing is just one of the first instalments of the BBC’s payback to the terrorists.
When a BBC journalist is freed the first casualty is the truth.
If anyone has any doubts where Osama bin Bowen stands they need to read this tripe:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6274980.stm
The headline on the Al Beeb “news” homepage is fittingly titled “Chink of light
Could Alan Johnston’s release provide a rare chance for Hamas?”
I’m feeling sick… will be back later.
WHEN YOU GET SICK OF THE NAUSEOUS HAMAS/BBC/AL JOHNSTON LOVE IN EXTRAVAGANZA …SPEND ONE MINUTE
Spend a minute to remember Fabrizio Quattrocchi a real Hostage who was butchered by Islamic terrorists but chose to die with dignity like a Hero. Niether Johnston nor the BBC would be fit to lick Quattrocchi’s boots.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/16/1081998300849.html
Also spare a thought for the 5 Britsh hostages being held in Iraq, teh 4 American-Iranian hostages held in Iran, Gilad Shalit, and teh Israeli soldiers held by Hezbollah, and the countless hostages being held by Islamic terrorists in Iraq.
Their suffering and the suffering of their famalies should not be forgotten in this increasingly sickening Johnston Hamas BBC extravaganza.
The BBC and it very pro Hamas reports from Gaza.
Gaza raids kill 11 Palestinians
Eleven Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a cross-border raid by Israeli forces in an area east of Gaza City. Nine of the dead were members of the military wing of Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza. One was a member of the Islamic Jihad group. Palestinian medics said the eleventh person to die was a civilian, and that children were among the wounded. A cameraman working for Hamas TV had both legs amputated after reportedly being shot by Israeli troops. Israel said it did not deliberately target journalists, but added that it did not regard anyone working for Hamas as a journalist.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6272188.stm
Here’s a question for the BBC clones. Why has the BBC inserted into that article the fact that Israel says it doesn’t deliberately target journalists. Which is strange seeing how all the major News orgs players are based in Israel and not in Hamas run Gaza.
Even the BBC when it reported on the case of Johnson got its battle hardened journalists to do so from the Israeli side of the fence.
So why, just why does the BBC promote this image that Israel has a habit of harming journalists.
P.S
Did love this snippet at the end.
“Hamas said its fighters had discovered a covert Israeli operation and opened fire on the unit.”
Which kind of runs counter to the 2nd paragraph of the BBC article.
“Nine of the dead were members of the military wing of Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza. One was a member of the Islamic Jihad group.”
5,000 upset by BBC war coverage
The BBC received more than 5,000 complaints over its coverage of last summer’s conflict between Israel and Hizbollah, the largest number on any subject.
Well well well – and I think people from this site contributed their fair share.
ALAN JOHNSTON MET SECRETLY MORE THAN 2 DOZEN TIMES HAMAS CO-FOUNDER ZAHAR
Its been revealed that Johnston met numerous times in secret with Mahmoud al Zahar, not only a co-founder of the organisation but also its Foreign Minister and one of the most radical of all Hamas members.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah…i/ Mahmoud_Zahar
What were they discussing? We will never no, and all this following Fayed Abu Shamala the Hamas operative who was a key BBC employee in Gaza characterised by Jeremy Bowen our “excellent, … senior journalist there.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6274980.stm
The revelation is inadvertently made in a conversation in Beirut in June between Osama Hamdan “the Islamists’ senior most official in Beirut” and a “prominent western lawmaker” {possibly British Consul Richard Makepeace • who had broeken the British and EU ban on speaking with Hamas by making visits to meet Haniyeh (Hamas PM) in Gaza, and Khaled Mashal (Hamas exiled Leader) in Damascus]. The transcript is relayed by Charles Levinson a freelance journalist who has written on Gaza for the Telegraph. Levinson also has Hamas sympathies
The transcript shows the degree of co-ordination and co-operation between Johnston and Zahar. It shows how Hamas used Johnston to re-establsih ties and get its views across.
Hamas Makes Its Case
http://conflictblotter.com/2007/…makes-its-case/
HAMDAN: Yeah, well I believe so. It is dangerous, so can’t make a militant attack against them, but you have to pressure them slowly, slowly in order to have this man released. The most important thing is that our people know him well (Alan Johnston), they know him well. I’ve talked yesterday to our Dr Zahar, he saw him dozens of times, not in public, he visited him in his office…they respect him. They believe they have to do the job slowly in order not to hurt him. You know the contacts are still Mohammad Dahlan and Samir Musharawi so you have be careful. Don’t say anything.
In addition to the revelations about the secret Johnston/Zahar meetings. The transcript raises other important questions:
(1) Who is the prominent Western Lawmaker? Was it Richard Makepeace.
(2) Was Alistair Crooke’s Conflicts Forum (which is now based in Beirut) instrumental in setting up this meeting
(3) Was the Western Lawmaker an EU or British Lobbyist for Hamas? His mission and his comments indicate that he is.
QUESTIONER (Western Lawmaker): good to see you. Lots has happened since we last met. I guess you have been busy, Gaza has been interesting, I’m keen to hear what has been going on. How do you think things will go?
QUESTIONER (Western Lawmaker): Very interesting. It has been helpful for me because I’m going back on Thursday and would be able to give some counter-information.
Here is the broken link on teh Alan Johnston-Zahar secret meetings.
http://conflictblotter.com/2007/07/09/exclusive-hamas-makes-its-case/
In order that long comments like Bijan’s above don’t get deleted, here’s some advice:
Don’t use bold block capitals.
Don’t write like a shrill conspiracy theorist.
Provide a bit of background on what you’re on about.
Keep your points BBC-related (otherwise post them on a more appropriate forum).
Check your spelling.
Check that your links work.
Back up strong accusations with evidence.
(I’m not saying that Bijan’s comment above is guilty of all of these things, but it is easy to fall into these traps).
SO WHY DNDT YOU DELETE MY COMMENT
Go ahead CENSOR/b> it!
this blog was about BBC bias. The only individuals interested about BBC bias are people who had speacialist knowledge about subjects in which the BBC showed biased. By censoring them you are in effect DESTROYING this website.
>SO WHY DNDT YOU DELETE MY COMMENT
Because it had a lot of interesting material and links in it.
But cut out the bold block capitals. Lots of people will just dismiss anything with them in it.
The Truth Behind Alan Johnston’s Abduction