US,UK asked to explain Jazeera memo

[cal04]

edited because of title change on the site

Journalists' rights groups are urging the United States and Britain to provide clarification of a report that suggests US President George Bush sought to bomb Aljazeera. "This is a very serious charge with grave implications for the safety of media professionals," said Ann Cooper, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. "Refusing to address these reports in a substantive way only fuels suspicions."


Another media advocacy group, Reporters Without Borders said: "We find it hard to believe that President Bush really discussed this possibility. This would be extremely serious and would constitute a major and unprecedented violation of the right to information. "If this report turns out to be true, it offers a new insight into the motives of the US forces, which have already bombed Aljazeera offices twice, in Afghanistan and Iraq."

Aljazeera staff in Doha and overseas bureaus planned to stage a symbolic protest over the report on Thursday. "The staff of Aljazeera have decided to organise on Thursday a symbolic sit-in in front of the headquarters of the channel in Doha and its overseas bureaus to protest against this news," said Aljazeera journalist Youssef al-Shouli, who is also vice president of the Arab Association for the Defence of Journalists.

Petition signed

About 100 of the channel's journalists and employees have signed a petition calling on the broadcaster's board of governors to hold an official inquiry into the allegations. They also demanded an immediate end "to attacks and incitement against Aljazeera and its employees" and called for "the opening of an inquiry into the bombing of Aljazeera's offices in Kabul and Baghdad".





http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5D64CEB4-0E14-4349-BD5C-A3A7A44D56B7.htm

[Tuesday_Morning]

1. Aljazeer's offices with bombed

in Kabul too?

Didn't know that.

[bpilgrim]

2. and lets not forget the BOMBING of the RED CROSS

brought to you by the folks that endorse TORTURE :puke:



peace

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. It was just as the Northern Alliance was entering Kabul

There's video of a BBC reporter doing a report in the next door building and suddenly there's a huge explosion outside, he's crouching on the floor, and saying words to the effect of "what the ****?"

[cal04]

4. US allies tighten grip on Kabul

The Kabul office of Qatar-based al-Jazeera television took a direct hit from a US bomb overnight. The building was destroyed, but the staff had already left the building.

BBC correspondent William Reeve says a US bomb landed earlier on a house about 100 metres from the BBC office where he was broadcasting. The blast smashed
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1654107.stm


Foreign media suffer Baghdad losses
Al-Jazeera said its correspondent Tareq Ayoub died and a cameraman was injured when two missiles hit its office, virtually destroying it.

Still from Abu Dhabi television showing hurt journalist being evacuated
US military officials said the building was struck by mistake. In November 2001, American warplanes mistakenly bombed the offices of the same broadcaster in Kabul, Afghanistan during the US-led campaign to oust the Taleban.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2928153.stm