2 March 2010

A3 responds:

I am an arab citizen from Lebanon and head a translation business in France. I FULLY approve your posting a translated report about al jazeera's connections to arab and foreign secret services including the Mossad. It requires courage to post such a piece of information. After reading the comment below, it seems that some people are in the business of smearing your site's credibility. Well ! apart from a doubtful historical perspective, the denial posting below carries nothing new to provide solid proof how could this sheer high number of assassinations and arrests happen otherwise than mere coincidence ? (it is non sense to dismiss such a long list of names).

To show you how UNPROFESSIONAL al jazeera is, just recall that this channel chose NOT to air Saddam's public apperance on the same day that Baghdad fell (April 9th, 2003) in an attempt to demoralize further the arab masses. The footage which was caught by this same al jazeera's crew was aired only two months later once it become irrelevant. This single event could have made history when it was rumored that the Iraki leader was killed through an initial decapitation strike.

In conclusion, what a better tool for infiltration than arab speaking security agents posing as journalists? Add to this fact double standards which are very common among Gulf Arabs and you have a wonderful recipe for a media disaster.

27 February 2010

A2 responds:

I just read your post "Report on Al-Jazirah TV's Suspected Role in Killing, Arrest of Activists"(translated from www.Elaph.com) and as Arab I was very disappointed in to see this baseless propaganda coming from a well known website that panders to Saudi government policy be published on your website which prides itself in posting "publication that are prohibited by governments worldwide, in particular material on freedom of expression, privacy, cryptology, dual-use technologies, national security, intelligence, and secret governance -- open, secret and classified documents --".

Al-Jazirah, or more accurately Al-Jazeera, was established in 1996 by a group of Arab journalists (from different Arab countries) who were working for BBC Arabic and after the Saudi funders cut the funding to that department due to some of their critical coverage of the Saudi government. The Qatari government who at the time vowed to end political censorship in media and after abolishing its Ministry of Information, offered to host the de-funct BBC Arabic. The BBC staff accepted on condition that they are not subject to any censorship or interference.

Contrary to what Elpah wrote, the Al-Jazeera experiment quickly became very popular among citizens of different Arab countries because it was the first time Arab activists and citizens alike could voice openly and uncensored, their criticism of Arab governments. Al-Jazeera's refusal to censor critics of various Arab governments has even led some Arab governments to cut electricity off cities during the broadcast of certain programs (Algeria). The Saudi government cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar for over 8 years over Al-Jazeera. Other Arab governments threatened with the same and few withdrew their diplomatic presence in protest. Al-Jazeera was also the first Arab news station to invite Israeli official to be interviewed and present their viewpoints on its programs and to speak directly to the Arab viewer. Some Arab governments tried to use this against the station but it failed. While a number of viewers did initially oppose having Israeli officials on the station, they later on understood the core values of the stations and its motto which is: the opinion and the other opinion

The key point here is that Al-Jazeera continues to enjoy a wide support and appreciation among Arab citizens and Elpha's article, like what a number of Arab governments do, is an attempt to deny that and to demonize a news station that means a lot to millions of people in the Middle East.

Elpah's article is propaganda and an attempt to smear a news station. You should be posting secret government documents on their attempt to shutdown the station not propaganda material from the same governments.

__________

26 February 2010

A sends:

Report on Al-Jazirah TV's Suspected Role in Killing, Arrest of Activists

Report by Mahmud al-Awadi: "There Are Questions on Assassinations That Take Place After Interviews Conducted by Al-Jazirah. Al-Rantisi, Al-Mabhuh, Siyam, Shaikh, Binalshibh, and Rigi Appeared on Al-Jazirah"

Ilaf.com

Friday, February 26, 2010 T12:31:29Z

Journal Code: 9469 Language: ENGLISH Record Type: FULLTEXT

Document Type: OSC Translated Text [OSC is the CIA's Open Source Center, formerly the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS)]

Word Count: 2,269

Many assassinations or arrest of prominent figures happen after interviews, which the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel conducts with these figures. These incidents have raised many questions. Large Arab circles that are interested in political and media affairs no longer have to believe the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel's justification that the assassination and arrest of political, security, and military activists around the world happen by sheer coincidence.

Dubai: The assassination of Abdolmalek Rigi, head of the Sunni Jundallah Group, raised questions again within circles that are interested in linking a possible vague role by the Qatari Al-Jazirah satellite Television to the assassination and arrest of political and security activists directly after they finish interviews with the Qatari television.

The Al-Jazirah satellite Channel began its transmission late in 1996 creating at the time a great deal of controversy and media uproar and chaos, which, many times, caused political estrangement between Doha that hosts the satellite channel and several Arab and foreign states, which held the view that the television's coverage was biased and not innocent.

Doha says it does not interfere in the satellite channel's work. However, it was noticed that the Gulf Emirate intervened at serious junctures to direct, dismiss, or re-form the satellite channel's boards of directors. But the most important question remains: Was Al-Jazirah truly involved in very suspicious matters, as a long list of proofs shows?

Large Arab circles that are interested in political and media affairs no longer have to believe the Qatari Al-Jazirah satellite Channel's justification that the assassinations and arrests among political, security, and military activists around the world in general and in the Arab region in particular happened by sheer coincidence. The reason is that logic says a perfect coincidence does not happen in this suspicious way where it is difficult to ignore the connection between an interview conducted by the Qatari satellite channel and the arrest or assassination of those who gave these interviews.

One may be convinced that such incidents can happen by coincidence once or twice. However, when they become a phenomenon, they must be considered carefully to dot the i's and cross the t's regarding the Qatari satellite channel's performance and ambiguous role. This is because many Arab circles view the Qatari channel with extreme doubt that sometimes reaches the point of accusation. To date, the channel has refused to give a convincing justification of the ambiguous incidents that happen to those who it hosts.

Ilaf asked political analyst Salim Jum'ah for his view of the ongoing talk and the charges against the Qatari satellite channel. He said: It is absolutely not possible any longer to separate the arrest or assassination of activists from the fact that they were hosted by the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel. The reason is that Arab intelligence agencies have information indicating that the Qatari channel presses those who it seeks to interview. When it reaches a deadlock, it resorts to the use of financial incentives to persuade the guests who mostly avoid the media for security reasons. They do not want to appear in the media to avoid being pursued and caught through assassination or arrest. There is a very long list of proofs in this respect.

Jum'ah added: It is very strange that these activists disappear many years without appearing in the media. During this period, they enjoy complete security, and even professional intelligence agencies that pursue them day and night fail to catch them. But, a little interview with the Qatari satellite channel easily leads to their arrest.

As is clear to date, the latest victim of the Qatari satellite channel is leader of the Sunni Jundallah Group Abdolmalek Rigi who was tracked by the Pakistani intelligence agencies even though he hid in Islamabad. He made a short appearance on the Al-Jazirah Channel's "Today's Meeting" Program. Afterward, Pakistan handed him over to Iran, which wanted him dead or alive for his responsibility for bloody attacks on Iranian installations because he rejects the mullahs regime in Tehran. His group's latest attack almost liquidated high-level military commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

His arrest was an astonishing victory for Tehran, which had been looking for him relentlessly. It attempted to catch him several times, but he always managed to escape from the Iranian intelligence service, which did not give up the hope of arresting him. It is certain that Rigi will be put on mock trial that will soon order his execution.

According to Jum'ah, the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel's interview with the mastermind of the attacks of 11 September 2001 Khalid Shaikh Mohammed led to his arrest. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed appeared together with his very important aide, Ramzi Binalshibh, on the channel's "Top Secret" Program, which was presented by Egyptian journalist Yusri Fudah. Afterward, Fudah resigned from the Qatari satellite channel for reasons that are unknown to date. With their faces covered, the two men recounted what they termed the road to the invasion of Washington and Manhattan, in a reference to the targeting of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers and the US Defense Department headquarters (the Pentagon).

A few days after the Al-Jazirah Channel broadcast the program, Pakistani intelligence forces surrounded the place where both Shaikh and Binalshibh were hiding in one of the villages of Islamabad. Afterward, they handed the two men over to the United States, which considered them a very precious catch. Later, the United States rewarded Islamabad in many spheres during the rule of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

However, following the spread of information indicating that senior leaders of the Al-Qa'ida Organization were very angry and that they held the Qatari satellite channel responsible for the arrest of Shaikh and Binalshibh, the Qatari satellite channel, through mediators, justified the action to the senior leaders of that hard-line fundamentalist organization whose followers are pursued around the world.

The Qatari Al-Jazirah television channel said that the Pakistani intelligence personnel may have followed its correspondent Yusri Fudah during his travel to complete the recording of the program, and that Shaikh and Binalshibh may have been arrested after the intelligence personnel found out that they were in the same place to where Fudah went. The Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel said the airing of the program was an indication that Fudah did meet with Shaikh and Binalshibh at that location, and that is the reason why the place was raided. At the time, Al-Jazirah focused forcefully on its justifications that appeared closer to a public apology.

Political analyst Salim Jum'ah says: After the incidents of Rigi, Shaikh, and Binalshibh, came the assassination of Mahmud al-Mabhuh, a prominent military leader in the Palestinian HAMAS Movement, in a hotel in the Emirate of Dubai in the UAE.

After this assassination, an impression prevailed among Arab parties that there is something suspicious and it cannot be ignored any longer. This is especially true in light of the fact that Al-Mabhuh, whose facial features were known only to the very few people who were very close to him, appeared unexpectedly without a face cover on the Al-Jazirah Satellite Channel. He spoke in length about an operation that he carried out in the 80s of the past century, an operation that shocked Israel when he captured and liquidated two soldiers.

According to sources close to HAMAS, Al-Mabhuh was asked by higher commanders why he appeared without a mask and spoke in detail about the military operation that he carried out. In reply to the question, he said that the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel's team pressed him hard to appear without a mask. The Qatari satellite channel told Al-Mabhuh before the interview that its viewers may accuse it of fabricating interviews. Therefore, he has to first appear without a mask and then speak in detail to ensure that there will be no accusation that the content of the interview was fabricated too.

The HAMAS sources say that Al-Jazirah seemed as if it was preparing for something other than journalism and ethics of the profession. It seemed that Al-Jazirah sought to show his features to those who were interested in pursuing him, establish his identity, and confirm his admission that he killed Israelis. Then, the Israeli intelligence agencies would have to liquidate him physically.

As political analyst Jum'ah says, the targeting of the former commander in chief of HAMAS, Abd-al-Aziz al-Rantisi, is still recalled when the long series of proofs is mentioned. It is reported that Al-Rantisi trusted the Al-Jazirah team in the Gaza Strip and fixed a date to give them an interview many days after he disappeared from public view after HAMAS elected him as commander in chief to succeed the movement's spiritual father, Ahmad Yasin, who was killed by an Israeli missile in March 2003.

For 25 days, Al-Jazirah kept pressing people close to Al-Rantisi to persuade him to give a lengthy interview in which he would discuss his new responsibilities at the helm of the Palestinian movement. After their insistence, he agreed to give them a preliminary date in his home, which he had not visited since the assassination of Yasin. When he finished the interview with Al-Jazirah, felt an emotion to see his family, and was about to leave the place, Israeli missiles killed him immediately.

Afterward, the movement's leaders who were based abroad asked a lot of questions whether the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel had anything to do with the assassination of Al-Rantisi. However, HAMAS chose not to exaggerate the story with Al-Jazirah because it wanted Al-Jazirah to be its media forum at later stages.

Political analyst Salim Jum'ah points out that the same story of the targeting of Al-Rantisi after his interview with Al-Jazirah recurred with the interior minister in the deposed HAMAS government, Sa'id Siyam, during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip last year.

Siyam was good at disguising. He oversaw the endorsement of military plans and ensured internal security in the Gaza Strip in spite of the fierce Israeli shelling at the time. But, as soon as Siyam finished recording an interview with the Al-Jazirah Channel and the television team departed, Israel killed Siyam in a bombardment that did not seem indiscriminate at the time. However, because Israel killed Siyam soon afterward, Al-Jazirah preferred not to air the interview to date, in an effort to avoid more evidences and proofs.

Employees of Al-Jazirah say that the interview with Siyam was ready to be broadcast, but instructions from higher echelons froze the interview. Thus, it was not aired.

The information available to these employees indicates that what happened with Siyam was expected to happen with the prime minister of the deposed government, Isma'il Haniyah, and prominent leading figure Mahmud al-Zahhar who vehemently rejected any interview with the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel under Israeli bombardment. They made promises many times to give interviews when the war ends. They always said that they were busy following the land battles with Israel and continuously assessing the situation. Nevertheless, this information has not been confirmed by an independent party. In addition, it is not known whether Haniyah and Al-Zahhar knew about the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel's harbored intention.

According to political analyst Salim Jum'ah, the arrest of Rigi today sounds the alarm bell for all activists across the world telling them to reconsider any decisions they might take to give interviews to the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel. To date, this channel has not presented any convincing justification of what happens soon after its interviews are aired. Moreover, it recently began to ignore any questions raised in the Arab circles on the recent incidents.

Many obscure activists have been arrested in Arab and foreign states, and the thing that linked all these incidents was a contact with the Al-Jazirah Channel to inform it of some issues. After the contact, the callers were surprised by immediate calls from the television's teams asking them about their places of residence so that they may be able to reach them. However, those who reached them in the end were intelligence agency personnel who pursued and failed to find them in the past. But it became easy to reach them after they made a contact with the Qatari Al-Jazirah Channel.

It is recalled that the Qatari Al-Jazirah satellite Channel began its transmission at the end of October 1996, creating large uproar that was closer to media chaos at the time, as political analyst Jum'ah put it.

Many times, the channel's programs deliberately offended Arab states and governments directly, including ruling regimes in more than one Arab country. Such offences repeatedly caused political estrangement between the state of Qatar in which the channel is based and many Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Tunisia, and Iraq. On the other hand, several Arab writers said that the Al-Jazirah Channel's performance is more like the method of driving a wedge, fomenting sedition, causing chaos, and triggering security disturbances in several Arab countries.

(Description of Source: London Ilaf.com in Arabic -- Saudi-owned, independent Internet daily with pan-Arab, liberal line. URL: http://www.elaph.com/)