Reuters reports that gunmen attacked the funeral procession for Al-Arabiya journalist Atwar Bahjat, killing three Iraqi security officers. Reuters also repeats the theory that Bajhat and her fellow journalists Adnan Khairullah and Khalid Mahmoud were kidnapped, then shot. I’m not sure whether that clarifies what actually happened to the three, or if the wire service is simply repeating widely disseminated information that may or may not be true. (Thanks to Media Nation reader Specks.)
Al-Jazeera’s English-language Web site today mentions the funeral attack in its roundup of news from Iraq. I had reported yesterday that Al-Jazeera had nothing on the killings, which prompted this comment to Media Nation:
You said you could not find anything on al-Jazeera about the murders of three journalists near Samarra. Actually, the network’s English-language Web site posted a story Thursday. I know because I read it and sent the link to Romenesko, hoping he might post it. Just wanted you to know that the story was definitely reported by al-Jazeera. I just looked for it again, but it’s no longer there, so I’m assuming they updated their site and removed it.
I have often found the Al-Jazeera English-language site to be frustrating. I’ve never had the sense that it truly reflects what the full extent of what the news service is reporting. My correspondent’s experience suggests that is indeed the case.
Dan, no one will ever accuse you of being lazy after posting at 9:03AM on a Saturday. Keep up the good work.
At least two people were killed as the funeral of a TV journalist was attacked in Baghdad. And a car bomb in the Shia shrine city of Karbala killed eight.This is 2nd para of BBC story on the rapidly escalating chaos. It is worthy to note that prior to the illegal and stupid invasion, general Schwartskopf commented that the numbers of long seething personal hatreds would create a bloodbath. And, that was, of course, before the Cornponesque leadership of the WH and Pentagon. The russians and chinese openly mock this government saying, very openly, “that it is incredible how Americans think that what they say is true, and that what they plan must come to fruition.”We Americans have been reduced to laughingstock.