Posts
Guardian
accused of passing off terrorist “hell cannon” as “barrel
bombs”
The
following relates to this article in the Guardian on 12 August, 2015
Allegations
are second claim of napalm use in Syrian war and come a week after UN
passed resolution to let investigators identify perpetrators of
chlorine attacks
10
October, 2015
Robert
Stuart,
the indefatigable challenger of the media narrative through his
analysis of the BBC’s “Saving Syria’s Children” program, is
now taking
on the Guardian.
Below we publish his recent letter to the Graun’s complaints
department regarding its use of a photo it claimed was a Syrian
“barrel bomb”, but which is apparently no such thing, but is in
fact a projectile from a so-called, “hell cannon”, as shown in
this
video,
and allegedly used by the “rebels” fighting the Assad regime.
Please share this as widely as possible and feel free to write your own emails or letters to the Guardian if you feel it is appropriate.
From:
Robert Stuart
Sent:
07 October 2015 16:07:44
Syrian
civil defence group accuses Assad of napalm attack near Damascus
– The Guardian, 12 August 2015
Dear
Mr Elliott,
I
wish to complain that the above print and web article breaches the
Guardian News & Media’s Editorial Code, which states
(p8):
The
Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or
distorted information, including pictures.
I.
An image in the article is captioned “An unverified photo of an
unexploded barrel bomb alleged to contain napalm gel.”
As
several comments below the online version of the article note [1]
the
image in fact quite clearly shows an opposition “Hell Cannon”
mortar device. Numerous images [2]
and videos [3]
of these munitions, which are fashioned from domestic cooking gas
canisters, in the hands of opposition fighters in Syria can readily
be found online.
II.
A
correction to the web article states:
This
article was amended to [sic] 13 August 2015 to remove a description
of the Syrian Civil Defence as “aligned to the opposition”. The
SCD argue that they are a neutral organisation and not aligned to any
political group.
Rick
Sterling, co-founder of Syria Solidarity Movement, observes [4]:
White
Helmets is the newly minted name for “Syrian Civil Defence”.
Despite the name, Syria Civil Defence was not created by Syrians nor
does it serve Syria. Rather it was created by the UK and USA in 2013.
Civilians from rebel controlled territory were paid to go to Turkey
to receive some training in rescue operations. The program was
managed by James Le Mesurier, a former British soldier and private
contractor whose company is based in Dubai.
Sterling
adds:
The
trainees are said to be ‘nonpartisan’ but only work in
rebel-controlled areas of Idlib (now controlled by Nusra/Al Queda)
and Aleppo.
The
White Helmets work primarily with the rebel group Jabat al Nusra (Al
Queda in Syria). Video of the recent alleged chlorine gas attacks
starts with the White Helmet logo and continues with the logo of
Nusra. In reality, White Helmets is a small rescue team for Nusra/Al
Queda.
But
White Helmets primary function is propaganda. White Helmets demonizes
the Assad government and encourages direct foreign intervention.
Numerous
images and videos posted online make shockingly and abundantly plain
the partisan and non-peaceful character of the Syrian Civil
Defence/White Helmets.
[5]
I
suggest therefore that the amendment of the original, accurate,
description of the Syrian Civil Defence as “aligned to the
opposition” also breaches the Guardian Editors’ Code in respect
of accuracy.
Your sincerely
Robert
Stuart
NOTES
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
http://m.liveleak.com/view?i=fd8_1430900709
– “Syria – So-called “White Helmets” facilitate an al Nusra
execution”
https://youtu.be/d-gfgqi45pI?t=15m54s
– “White Helmets” carrying weapons (15:55 and 17:05, still
images here http://on.fb.me/1hrYO59
and here http://on.fb.me/1X6gHrd)
https://youtu.be/DE6yIIzxaBE?t=10m22s
– Haj Abu Ahmad of the Civil Defence Force is translated as
follows:
(From
10:23) “Glad tidings have reached us in Jisr al-Shghor on the hands
of our mujahedeen brothers, may Allah strengthen them and make them
steadfast on the correct way, and soon Insha’Allah the strongholds
of the Assad regime in Latakya and Damascus will be liberated”.
(Still images here http://on.fb.me/1EtnlBF
and here http://on.fb.me/1X6iQTL).
(From
11:11) “Now we secure the families and transfer them to a safe
place, outside of Jisr al-Shughor and we also search for injured
civilians, as for the dead bodies, we put them in bodybags after
identifying them so we can send [news of them] to their families.
Finally we collect the bodies of the Shabiha (Assad regime militia)
and throw them in the trash.” (Still image here:
http://on.fb.me/1FcDMNw).
https://youtu.be/cs75QuGSaGg?t=6m3s
– “White Helmet” gives victory sign over corpses of presumed
Syrian government forces members (6:07, still image here
http://on.fb.me/1O3SRWI).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkGszvFrf-8
– “White Helmet” jubilantly waving black flag of Jabat al Nusra
(al-Qaeda in Syria) (35 seconds, still image here
http://bit.ly/1OY8BOE).
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