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Iraq
US attack on Baghdad media hotel no accident: rights group
2008-05-19
BAGHDAD (AFP) - A media rights group has called for a full probe into the 2003 shelling of a Baghdad hotel by US troops which killed two foreign journalists, claiming that new evidence showed the incident was not an accident

The International Federation of Journalists said the United States should "tell the whole truth" about the incident at the Palestine Hotel on April 8, 2003, just a day before Baghdad fell to US invading forces.

The IFJ said a former US army sergeant had reported seeing secret US documents that listed the hotel as a possible target, in a statement which it said "exposed as a cover-up" contained in the US allegation that the shelling was an accident.

"Slowly, the awful truth about the events of that day are emerging," IFJ general secretary Aidan White said in a statement.

"This latest information adds to our concern that the failure to properly investigate and report on this attack is covering up the reality that the US was recklessly putting media lives at risk."

Spanish cameraman Jose Couso, who worked for the private television station Telecinco, and Ukraine-born Reuters cameraman Taras Protsyuk, were killed at the hotel, which was home to about 150 journalists and media staff at the time.

A Spanish court last week threw out murder charges against three US soldiers over the Couso killing, saying there was insufficient evidence indicating an "intentional desire" by the US soldiers to target civilians in the hotel.

There was no immediate confirmation from the US military in Baghdad to the IFJ statement.

Iraq remains the most dangerous country from which to report.

According to Journalism Freedom Observatory, a group monitoring and defending the rights of Iraq journalists, 232 media employees -- including 22 foreigners -- have been killed since the 2003 US led-invasion.

Among them, 179 of them were killed while on the job, while the remainder were killed for sectarian reasons or in random acts of violence.

At least 14 journalists are also being held hostage by various groups, according to the media watchdog.

Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC

#12  The "rights group" KNOW (wink,wink)
the hotel was targetted because its the one THEY were staying at. Them killer US soldiers were out to silence their "TRUTH TO POWER"!!!!! (patent pending, trademark applied for)
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839   2008-05-19 21:47  

#11  "Slowly, the awful truth about the events of that day are emerging,"

Like the demolition of the twin towers, the murder of JFK, the fake moon landings, and the aliens kept in the deep freeze at Area 51.
Posted by: Bobby   2008-05-19 20:55  

#10  It's nature's way of telling you to be seriously frickin' careful what you point at an Abrams.

I sense truth in the above and therefore read it into the record again.
Posted by: George Smiley   2008-05-19 19:12  

#9  A media rights group has called for a full probe into the 2003 shelling of a Baghdad hotel by US troops which killed two foreign journalists, claiming that new evidence showed the incident was not an accident

Waaaa I want a PROBE too! [heh! Not that kind!] How come only two foreign journalists were taged?

Ima way disapointed that we didn't Compost more of Dem!
[humm..a few dozen 120mm DU rounds thru that Hotel at least!]
/from my healthy mind thank you
Posted by: RD   2008-05-19 14:14  

#8  As Mike says, read "Thunder Run". It's a real page-turner and has a detailed description of this incident.

Long story short for all you lazy, illiterate sumbitches: troops were taking indirect fire; there was a report of a spotter in a named hotel; they could see someone on a hotel balcony with what appeared to be optical equipment. The US troops made an amazing effort, including overseas cell phone calls to reporters, to verify the hotel. Unable to do so, someone finally made the decision to smoke the cameraman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time doing something foolish. So much for getting that great live action footage. A very unfortunate accident.

Now go read the book.
Posted by: SteveS   2008-05-19 14:09  

#7  "Slowly, the awful truth about the events of that day are emerging being fabricated," IFJ general secretary Aidan White said in a statement.

Fake, but accurate!
Posted by: Tiny Sneter7998   2008-05-19 13:18  

#6  "Far more dangerous than Myanmar, or the Sudan, or all those other place we hear so much about years after the events."

...or Detroit, D.C., Baltimore, L.A., New Orleans, Camden NJ, Gary IN or any other city where there's over a hundred murders a year....
Posted by: Broadhead6   2008-05-19 13:07  

#5  Iraq remains the most dangerous country from which to report.

Far more dangerous than Myanmar, or the Sudan, or all those other place we hear so much about years after the events.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2008-05-19 12:47  

#4  Well, the propagandists journalists WERE the greater threat....
Posted by: DarthVader   2008-05-19 12:37  

#3  Right, it wasn't an accident. The journalists deliberately pointed something that looked like a spotting device at an Abrams, and the Abrams -- the crew of which had been in close combat all night-- deliberately fired at the spotting device. It's nature's way of telling you to be seriously frickin' careful what you point at an Abrams.
Posted by: Matt   2008-05-19 12:21  

#2  "The IFJ said a former US army sergeant had reported seeing secret US documents that listed the hotel as a possible target, in a statement which it said "exposed as a cover-up" contained in the US allegation that the shelling was an accident."

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.
Posted by: Pheater tse Tung9473   2008-05-19 12:03  

#1  ...Read the book 'Thunder Run', which has a minute-by-minute description of the incident, written by a journalist who was there. This was a horrible, horrible accident, though these people will clearly never believe it.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2008-05-19 11:59  

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