BBC's concern at Gaza man's fate

[cimt]

A Palestinian group calling itself the Al Tawhid Al Jihad brigade has issued a claim that it has killed BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6557779.stm

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The middle-east is full of sick people....

Way to go, Thats going to help your side get across.

[cimt]

Well they only claiming they've killed him. So if they haven't then you know...

Well not many news companys have people based in Gaza giving the side of the people there, if they go around killing the people who do then they wont have any world attention.

SKY news have just mentioned it, if it's true it will be a sad day for all concerned.

[Xaccers]

Will this mean we'll get more impartial reporting from the BBC with regards to the region?

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Will this mean we'll get more impartial reporting from the BBC with regards to the region?

Bit of a "low blow" there Xaccers.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Mr Angry

Bit of a "low blow" there Xaccers.

It's been noted on several occasions that the BBC's reporting from the area is not impartial or objective.
It will be interesting to see if they continue on the same track or re-evaluate the situation in a more balanced light after this tragedy.

[Mr Angry]

Right enough, now that you mention it, I wouldn't put it past the Israelis to have kidnapped him, just for fairness mind you.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Mr Angry

Right enough, now that you mention it, I wouldn't put it past the Israelis to have kidnapped him, just for fairness mind you.

And of course pretended to be a Palestinian terrorist group claiming to have killed him.
In fact, I bet Arafat was really a mosad agent undercover, there is no palestinian issue, it's all a Jewish conspiracy.
It must be true, I heard it on the BBC...

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

And of course pretended to be a Palestinian terrorist group claiming to have killed him.

I don't believe it would be beyond them - nor other states - to do so.

Originally Posted by Xaccers

In fact, I bet Arafat was really a mosad agent undercover, there is no palestinian issue, it's all a Jewish conspiracy.
It must be true, I heard it on the BBC...

There's no need for attempts at sarcasm - though your lack of use of capitalization in certain regards is telling.

I'm disappointed. You obviously haven't heard of Tamara Lalli - one of many journalists lucky enough only to have been detained / kidnapped (as opposed to killed) by Israel in their unending quest for impartial journalism.

I find it rather surprising, whatever the fate / circumstance of Mr Johnston and who has detained him, that you seem to think only of what you refer to as "more balanced" reporting of events in the region as a possible result of his current predicament.

Somewhat at odds with your last public expressions on kidnap. I should point out that Mr Johnston, like any of the 15 kidnapped by Iran, is a British national doing his job, whether you agree with it or not.

Do you endorse the kidnap of journalists as a justifiable means to address a perceived imbalance in reporting?

That's how your initial post reads.

[Xaccers]

This is a terrible tragedy...

Sorry, I was taking a leaf out of so many other's books, pretty sure yourself included, in not typeing something along the lines of "this is a terrible tragedy" at the start of every post.
I notice your first post made no mention of this terrible tragedy either, and instead took a dig at my post through misunderstanding.
Actually, your second post doesn't mention it either, instead you chose to suggest that Israel may have been behind the kidnapping.
It took you 3 posts to mention the tragedy, so I find it rather suprising that rather than reflect on the circumstances or fate of Mr Johnston, you chose rather to take the oppertunity to make minor digs at Israel.
As for lack of capitalization, thanks for pointing that out, it of course should have been Mossad.

Lets just hope that he's still alive and will be released soon.

[Mr Angry]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

This is a terrible tragedy...

Sorry, I was taking a leaf out of so many other's books, pretty sure yourself included, in not typeing something along the lines of "this is a terrible tragedy" at the start of every post.

I'm not getting into the semantics of "sympathy point" scoring - nor am I in the habit of restating the obvious.

Originally Posted by Xaccers

I notice your first post made no mention of this terrible tragedy either, and instead took a dig at my post through misunderstanding.

See above - If it was a misunderstanding I note that thus far you've made no attempt to explain that.

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Actually, your second post doesn't mention it either, instead you chose to suggest that Israel may have been behind the kidnapping.

Again, I'm not playing sympathy point scoring and again I'd say it is a fact that it is not beyond Israel to kidnap individuals (journalists or otherwise).

Originally Posted by Xaccers

It took you 3 posts to mention the tragedy, so I find it rather suprising that rather than reflect on the circumstances or fate of Mr Johnston, you chose rather to take the oppertunity to make minor digs at Israel.

There you go again with this persecution complex. I wasn't having a go at Israel (since when did the kidnap / murder of journalists become "minor") and I haven't stated anything that isn't fact. According to you I was having a "misunderstanding" of your post and its intent.

Originally Posted by Xaccers

As for lack of capitalization, thanks for pointing that out, it of course should have been Mossad.

Not quite what I was referring to - but at least you got the spelling right second time around.

Originally Posted by Xaccers

Lets just hope that he's still alive and will be released soon.

Yes, irrespective of who kidnapped him or what effect, if any, it has on future reporting.

I am, of course, assuming that you don't support the kidnapping of journalists.

[orangebird]

There's been a video of him released....

[jtwn]

Originally Posted by Mr Angry

Right enough, now that you mention it, I wouldn't put it past the Israelis to have kidnapped him, just for fairness mind you.

Or killed?