You will recall that BBC reporter Alan Johnston was kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists

You will recall that BBC reporter Alan Johnston was kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists in the Hamas stronghold of Gaza. He was held captive for four months and then released as an act of “goodwill” by the deranged Palestinian killers – a group that the British government had been in “dialogue” with leading up to his release.

The question NOW being asked if the release from prison this week of Abu Qatada – a radical Islamic cleric once described as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe – part of a deal that Britain made with Gaza-based terrorists for the freedom BBC reporter Alan Johnston?
Speaking from jail last summer, Abu Qatada himself offered to help mediate the prisoner exchange. Hamas sources and Israeli diplomatic sources familiar with the Johnston release talks confirmed to WND last summer there were third-party discussions between Gaza’s Hamas rulers, a mediator and the British government for the release of Johnston. A second track of negotiations were opened between Hamas and the Army of Islam kidnappers, the sources said. Also, the BBC was in direct contact with Hamas, said the sources.

Palestinian sources involved in the Johnston negotiations said Hamas passed to the British government the Army of Islam’s demand for the freedom of Abu Qatada. They also warned if Hamas stormed the Gaza compound in which Johnston was known to have been held, the BBC reporter likely would have been killed during any rescue attempt.
Abu Oubaida, a spokesman for Hamas, would not confirm any deal was reached. The British embassy in Tel Aviv did not return calls for comment on the issue. Officials from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ office said they believe a deal was made for the release of Johnston. They also accused Hamas of paying off the Army of Islam.

So, is it possible that the British government and the BBC have colluded to engineer the release of a BBC journalist by doing a shoddy deal that gets an alleged Islamic terrorist mastermind a “get out of jail free” card? I think we should be told, don’t you? Can we trust the BBC to tell us?

GREEN PROPAGANDA TIME.

I had the misfortune to listen to BBC’s PM programme today and in particular to the segment running on “Renewable Energy” that ran from 5.30 to 5.45pm. This was PURE unadultered environmental propaganda – I could not believe the lack of balance even by BBC standards. Note how Nigel Lawson’s “adaption” suggestions are dismissed at the end of this little 15 minute pro-green diatribe with NO attempt to provide any balance. Shocking.

General BBC-related comment thread!

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely.

CUBAN HEEL.

I was reading this BBC report detailing the EU lifting all sanctions against Cuba. Naturally the EUSSR wants to establish better relationships with this Raul Castro run communist hell-hole and as the BBC points out – via its’ sources in the Cuban dictatorship – the main point here is to show that Europe can have a foreign policy that runs against that of the USA. (Cue applause in Broadcasting House) I note that the BBC balances the outrage expressed by many Cuban dissidents at this disgraceful EU move with the view of a BBC correspondent, Michael Voss – who believes that Cuba will see this as a vindication of their hardball diplomacy. Can we now take it that the BBC speaks on behalf the Castro regime…just so we know where we stand?

QUESTION TIME WATCH.

I look upon it as a weekly endurance test – a televisual marathon! I refer to watching the BBC’s Question Time. The panel was a bit more balanced than normal last night, with David Davis and Nigel Farage getting an appearance in. That said, Dimbleby was very aggressive with Davis, barely letting him finish a sentence. Also what was Jerry Springer doing on the panel? I also thought that Hillary Benn got away with blue murder but then again I suppose the BBC is so in awe of his father that this was to be expected. I see that next week we will have the pleasure of “Peep Show” star David Mitchell on the panel. Great news – another sneering leftie whose reactions can be predicted well in advance! Frankly, I would like to see Zippy from Rainbow or possibly one of the Teletubbies make a guest appearance since at least that way the BBC would be honest about the calculated dumbing down of political debate.

LEADING THE NO VOTE.

There was a discussion on BBC R4 Today just after 7am concerning the failure of the “colleagues” in Brussels to “solve” the problem created by the Irish NO vote to the EU Constitution last week. I noted that the BBC interviewer stated that “Sinn Fein led the No campaign” – this is wrong, it did not lead the No campaign. Whilst I accept that Sinn Fein did play a role, the truth us that there were MANY groups involved – not least Libertas – that as a whole constituted the NO campaign. I also note that the BBC keeps making reference as to when a second referendum “could” take place in Ireland. The assault on the democratic process appears to be of no interest to the State Broadcaster, more important to get a YES vote out of the Irish, come what may.

NAMING AND SHAMING.

I was interested to read this report on the BBC which states that companies that employ illegal immigrants are to be named and shamed in a further attempt to crack down on people smuggling. The move by the Home Office comes four months after officials launched a concerted effort to identify and prosecute companies breaking the law. More than 200 companies have already been fined for hiring illegal labour. The Home Office says names of companies and directors are to be published on the UK Border Agency website. The agency will publish how many illegal immigrants the company was employing and how much it was fined. Now I am in in favour of punishing those who break the law and employ illegals however the BBC article is unclear as to how this will affect the likes of The Home Office, and the NHS – which are as guilty as any private sector company when it comes to employing these illegal immigrants. I also wondered how all these illegal immigrants got into the country in the first place – will the UK Border Agency website be providing us with analysis of that?

MORE GLOBAL WARMING ALARMISM

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Each day, the sun rises anew and each day the BBC spews out more tales of global warming alarmism. I am sure this must have an impact on views held by the general population – which is all part of the alarmists agenda in the first place, propaganda before science, eco-faith before fact-based certainty. Today the BBC breathlessly tells us that the Arctic sea ice is melting even faster than last year, despite a cold winter. An ice free Arctic by 2013 is posited as is the prospect of a global 22ft increase in sea level, should the Pole melt. I’m sorry but this is pure eco-wackery, it’s The Day after Tomorrow on the license fee . There is NO serious climate scientists suggesting a 22ft increase in global sea level and in fact the UN, not itself an independent player on this issue, suggests that sea levels on average will rise by 34.5cms during the next century. (In itself the sea level has risen by 29cms since 1850) Using apocalyptic imagery – such as a total Polar melt – plays well to the media and this is what this is all about. There is no mention of the thickening in the Antarctic sea ice though presumably that would not suit the BBC narrative. There is also no settled science on this issue, For example a study published in Geophysical Research Letters (Winsor, P., “Arctic sea ice thickness remained constant during the 1990s,” Volume 28: 1039-1041 (2001)) found the same to be true in the Arctic. The study concluded, “mean ice thickness has remained on a near-constant level around the North Pole from 1986-1997.” Moreover, the study noted data from six different submarine cruises under the Arctic sea ice showed little variability and a “slight increasing trend” in the 1990s. Since the current warming phase ended back in 1998, what would drive the loss in sea ice area that the BBC reports on since that date? Climate is a huge issue and there is room for many opinions. My problem with the BBC is that it only allows one as this new story shows and that is pure green tinged bias.

SURRENDER TO THE RHYTHM.

I see that at a time when we have lost several more of our brave British soldiers to the Taliban scum in Afghanistan Richard Bacon over on Five Live is running a morale-boosting “Is it time to talk to the Taliban” item on his programme. He’s managed to find a Conservative MP in the form of Adam Holloway, who served there with the Grenadier Guards, and who believes the aim of destroying the Taliban is now “beyond Britain’s means”. This Vichy Conservative wants to cut a deal with the murderous Islamics and naturally Bacon latches onto this. I heard David Cameron speak well on the import of our mission in the Commons earlier today but the BBC drum beat is always surrender. The BBC institutionally opposes the idea of fighting terrorism anywhere and so the likes of Holloway is an absolute gift to Bacon. Even as several British military families are in mourning for their loved ones and in need of the support of the nation, the State Broadcaster – care of a cowardly Conservative – seeks to put the boot in and imply that the mission has been futile.

NOAH’S LARK.

Well then, did you read the BBC’s report on the story concerning the owner of a hair salon being ordered to pay £4,000 compensation to a Muslim stylist who was turned down for a job because she wears a headscarf? Bushra Noah accused Sarah Desrosiers of religious discrimination when she failed to offer her a job at her Wedge salon in King’s Cross, central London. An employment tribunal panel dismissed the 19-year-old’s claim but upheld her complaint of indirect discrimination. During the hearing Ms Noah, who lives in Acton, west London, told the tribunal (with an onion in one hand?) that she was “devastated” that she was not offered the job of assistant stylist “due to my headscarf”. The £4000 was to salve her “hurt feelings.”

However the BBC IS disingenuous because the “interview” it repeatedly talks about in the 6th and 7th paragraph never happened. Noah was interviewed over the phone and turned down then not because of any headscarf (which Desrosiers was unaware of) but because she lives in Acton (North West London) and Desrosiers thought this too far from Kings Cross (North London). Subsequent to this, Noah pleaded to come in for a chat and to make her case. Desrosiers reluctantly agreed out of politeness and it’s this 15 minute chat which has wrongly been reported as an ‘interview’ when it was no such thing. Desrosiers again explained at this meeting that Noah lived too far away and then made her fatal error – she asked about the headscarf and BINGO. To repeat the BBC piece states: “The owner of a hair salon has been ordered to pay £4,000 compensation to a Muslim stylist who was turned down for a job because she wears a headscarf.” Wrong. She was turned down, on the phone, before Desrosiers knew of any headscarf, because of where she lives. The BBC may delight at the news that a professional Muslim whinger gets more of our taxes in compensation for no good reason but that does not excuse them misrepresenting the facts of the matter.