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3 Al-Jazeera reporters worked for Saddam.

Jeff | 11.05.2003 09:18

I knew it

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=32513

MEDIA MATTERS
Report: Saddam's spies infiltrated Al-Jazeera
Arab network denies allegations
3 employees worked for regime

May 11, 2003
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

Iraqi intelligence-agency documents now in the hands of the CIA and Iraqi opposition groups suggest three al-Jazeera employees in Baghdad were also working for Saddam's regime, although the Arab satellite network is denying any wrongdoing, according to a report in the London Times.

Secret police files on al-Jazeera describe the network, which is based in the Gulf state of Qatar, as ''a mobilized instrument of our propaganda.'' The files also suggest ''close cooperation'' between the regime and al-Jazeera executives.

The intelligence-agency documents include files on all three reported agents: two are Baghdad-based employees, the third is a senior Qatar-based executive. His file includes details of a gift of gold to his wife and talks of his efforts to get air time for Iraqi officials.

That same file reportedly contained a note confirming copies of letters sent to al-Jazeera by Osama bin Laden in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, were passed to Baghdad.

Al-Jazeera was accused of bias during the war and outraged the U.S.-led coalition when it broadcast videotaped images of American POWs. The network also broadcast the first pictures of what was thought to be Saddam’s safe house.

The network's office in Baghad was later bombed and one correspondent was killed during the war.

Jeff

Comments

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Saddam was put in by the CIA

11.05.2003 09:29

So the CIA would have had access to any docs when Saddam was in their employ...

So does that mean Al Jazeera is working for the CIA too?
What about OPS and P2OG?
Hmmm.

Darlene

And the BBC worked for Downing Street

11.05.2003 10:02

And CNN for the State Department.

So, what's new?

Are we still playing the old "we give the news, they do propaganda" game after, what, 3,000 years of human history?

Interesting that opponents of the invasion/occupation are slowly being smeared, one by one, by the right wing press. Galloway and Dalyell by the preposterous Daily Telavivagraph and now al Jazeerah by the Murdoch owned Sharon loving London Crimes.

That's way too convenient to have any credibility and, even if true, I'd certainly prefer to have two opposing propaganda machines to pick from than one all-encompassing spin machine shouting 2+2=5 day in day out.

Auntie Beeb (no relation)

Bullshit

11.05.2003 21:29

This is obviously another government planted smear.

Tell me then, why did Saddam Hussein expel Al-jazeera from Iraq.

Al-jazeera's objectivity is proved by the fact that that it was attacked by both Americans and Saddam's regime

Gerald Springa

big pinch of salt

11.05.2003 22:31

Thing to remember is, Blair and Bush are very pissed at Al-Jazeera for many reasons including the way Al-Jazeera refused to broadcast their propaganda during Afghan and gulf wars, the pictures of captured servicemen that Al-Jazeera recently showed, the fact that the US propaganda film intended to help create better US-Arab relations coulsn't go out of Al-Jazeera because they wanted to charge too much....and both US and UK governments have reportedly said they want the station censored or closed down. The Emir of Qatar was asked by US government official to gag the station.

and oops, didn't a couple of coalition bombs accidentally fall upon Al-Jazeera offices during the Gulf war? hhhmmmm.

Thing is, Al-Jazeera has an unrivalled reputation for excellent news gathering plus immense credibility as a free station which means many dissidents communicate their ideas through it. Of course they have spies within the station. I'll bet there are CIA and UK spies working there too, and probably Syrian since Syria keeps getting its knickers in a twist over Al-Jazeera. For countries that fear free speech and intelligent news reporting, the existence of Al-Jazeera is bum-clenchingly terrifying.

But the presence of spies worling in Al-Jazeera does not mean the station supports the countries that spy on it - in fact, would seem to suggest that Al-J is seen as threat.

hello

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