More journalists killed: Hotel Palestine in Baghdad attacked again

American soldiers killed journalists at this hotel before. If the american army are in Baghdad why aren't they protecting the media, and how can this hotel be attacked so many times?

The Palestine Hotel, which houses many foreign journalists in Iraq, was hit by two rockets and one car bomb Monday, causing considerable damage to rooms, Iraqi police said.

Reuters cameraman Taras Protsyuk and Spanish cameraman José Couso of Telecinco were killed by US soldiers in April 2003. Three other journalists were wounded in the attack. 100 journalists were in the Palestine Hotel when american troops attacked the Hotel.

Palestine Hotel, Baghdad: foreign journalists staying at the hotel were killed

Cameramen: Taras Protsyuk (Reuters) and José Couso (Spanish Telecinco)

Journalists' Hotel in Baghdad Attacked

Monday October 24, 2005 4:46 PM
AP Photo GB102

By ROBERT H. REID
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Two enormous bombs, including a cement-mixing truck packed with explosives, blew up outside the Palestine Hotel - home to many foreign journalists - wounding at least six people and causing considerable damage. Arab satellite television networks said 11 people were killed in the vicinity of the bombs.

Associated Press Television News pictures showed the cement mixer exploding in a huge ball of flame and a cloud of smoke billowing into the central Baghdad sky.

Iraqi security officials said the explosions occurred two minutes apart, not long before Muslims marking the Islamic holy month of Ramadan were preparing to break their day-long fast. Shortly before the explosion a truck was seen coming under fire nearby, according to APTN.

Inside the hotel, light fixtures were blown out, pictures were blasted off the walls and windows were shattered.

An AP photographer at a checkpoint at the northwest corner of the hotel said at least three fellow photographers were injured and taken away by ambulance. Two TV personnel inside the hotel also sustained minor injuries.

The death toll of 11 was reported by the Qatari-based Al-Jazeera and the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya networks, quoting Iraqi security officials.

The attacks caused heavy damage to the south side of the 19-story hotel, forcing journalists, including those from AP, Fox News and the U.S. government-funded Alhurra TV station to take refuge in the corridor. Fox and Alhurra said their staff members were safe.

After the bombing, Iraqi forces opened up with heavy automatic weapons fire, apparently firing at random. There was no sign of a further assault on the hotel.

It did not appear that the car bombers managed to penetrate the high concrete blast walls around the Palestine Hotel, which was last hit by an insurgent rocket attack on Oct. 7, 2004.

Maj. Abbas Mohammed Suleiman said earlier that the hotel compound was hit by rockets and car bombs.

APTN video taken immediately after the explosions from inside the hotel showed people evacuating through damaged hallways with panels from the ceilings and walls blown out in the stairwell. Debris from the blasts was seen on the floor of one empty room, where a television set was still turned on.

The hotel has been attacked several times since the war started in March 2003. On April 8, 2003 - the day before Saddam Hussein's regime fell - U.S. tank fire killed two TV cameramen - a Spaniard and a Ukrainian - at the hotel.

The nearby Firdous Square was the site of a statue of Saddam Hussein that was toppled as Baghdad fell to the U.S.-led coalition. Concrete barriers topped with barbed wire guard the Palestine and the nearby Sheraton, which is also home to foreigners.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5366290,00.html

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2003/palestine_hotel/palestine_hotel.html
Report on american killing of Reuters cameraman Taras Protsyuk and Spanish cameraman José Couso of Telecinco in 2003.

Reporters Without Borders

http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=20
73 journalists and media assistants killed since the start of fighting in Iraq in March 2003, two still missing. Today's casualties will increase the number killed and injured who are in Iraq doing their job of reporting on the Iraqi war.

http://www.rsf.org/special_iraq_en.php3
Cameraman: Isam Hadi Muhsin Al-Shumary
Suedostmedia, missing since 15 August 2004
Journalist: Frédéric Nérac
of ITV News (UK), missing since 22 March 2003

Reporters without borders

Comments

Hide the following 11 comments

only days ago -

24.10.2005 19:35

Spanish arrest warrant for U.S. military

MADRID, Oct. 19 2005 (UPI) -- A Madrid judge Wednesday issued arrest warrants for three U.S. military personnel in connection with the death in Baghdad of a Spanish jopurnalist in 2003.

Judge Santiago Pedraz said he wanted U.S.Army Lt.Col. Shawn Gibson, Capt. Philip Wolford, and Lt.Col.Philip de Camp placed under arrest "to ensure their presence at the proceedings initiated by the Spanish authorities, given the lack of cooperation of the American authorities during the investigation of the incident."

On 8 April 2003, a U.S. tank fired an artillery round at the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, killing Spanish television journalist Jose Couso, and Ukrainian cameraman Taras Protosyuk.

Asked to comment on the arrest warrants, Pentagon spokesman U.S. Lt.Col. Barry E. Venable told United Press International Wednesday, "This is a legal matter that will be handled through appropriate channels. U.S. Central Command fully investigated the incident and determined that the U.S. service members acted appropriately during that combat action."

According to press reports of the incident, the tank had fired on the hotel after snipers had been spotted on the roof.

"The Department of Defense has cooperated previously with the Spanish Government, including by providing information concerning the incident and resulting investigation," Venable said

http://about.upi.com/products/upi_scitech/UPI-20051019-051833-7779R

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having seen video taken from channel 4 news this evening

one in which Jon Snow admitted that NBC was it's sister channel
...ahem
owned by General Electric - the makers of countless war machines

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/ge.asp

Is ITN owned by GE too?

from these tv pictures

there were Abrams fighting vehicles sitting
yards away from where the cement mixer detonated

it was also apparent that the 'hole' apparently
made by rocket launchers,which enabled
access to the compound

was actually a really nice clean gap in the concrete fencing

Sadly Familiar ...

25.10.2005 05:32

Now who would want to attack the media, just as they begin telling the truth about the failure that is Iraq?

Since the culprits in many of the attacks previously alleged to be the work of "The Insurgents" (Iraqi Resistance) - by the same criminals who told us that "Saddam has WMD!!!", in order to feign justification for a war they knew to be illegal - being called into question, with the exposure of both American & British Covert Operatives carrying out False Flags, coupled with leaked documents which prove the US/UK are intent upon "Divide & Rule", this rings just a bit hollow.

Haven't we been here before ... ?

Neo-Fascism's Becoming Altogether Transparent

Poor analysis

25.10.2005 09:50

If I understand the above posts, it's being suggested that the coalition forces are deliberately targetting the media because they don't like the reports.

Well that may, or may not, be the case. But I suggest you take a look at Reporters Without Borders' web site and in particular this report:

http://www.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/Etude_Irak_Eng_PDF.pdf

It states that, of the media staff killed, around one third have been the result of coalition actions. However two thirds have been due to the Iraqi resistance/insurgents/call them what you will.

Now if we apply the same monkey logic as above, this would suggest that the resistance/insurgents want to hide something too! Not good logic that, its right up there with 2+2=5.

It might just be - and call be silly - that war zones (and despite what the yanks say, Iraq is clearly still a war zone) are dangerous places and press cards don't make the owner magically bullet-proof.

Not Amused

But Your Response Fails

25.10.2005 17:11

But since the identity of the culprits in many of the attacks pinned on the Resistance by the same people who said "Iraq has WMD!!" are now in question, your response falls apart.

And I'm sure many have been killed in this War of Aggression, but that doesn't answer any of the questions about this specific instance, where journalists who have started honestly questioning the success of this military adventure were attacked in the same hotel the US shelled early on in the war.

Qui Bono?

Excuse me?

25.10.2005 20:03

"But since the identity of the culprits in many of the attacks pinned on the Resistance by the same people who said "Iraq has WMD!!" are now in question, your response falls apart."

So what you're saying is that RWF are part of the plot too? Is that right?

Not Amused

Simply Exposing Your Emptiness

26.10.2005 08:48

I'm simply pointing out that you don't know any more about who's really been killing innocent people in Iraq, acts that are then used to demonize the Resistance and used as justifications for continuing this Madness, than anyone else.
(Unless, of course, you do ... wink, wink)

Leaked documents prove that the US/UK were intent upon stoking ethnic tensions, in order to achieve that old Colonial Trick of 'Divide & Rule', and the exposure of both American and British covert operatives, attempting to carry out False Flags to this end, pretty much secures my case.

All you're able to gather is what proven LIARS tell you is true ...

In this particular case, as was the case when Americans shelled the Palestine hotel, in order to intimidate the press, the timing just seems a bit odd, as the war is being lost, and reporters are no longer sitting idly by and biting their tongues.

Why Are You Even Here?

Poor Analysis and Even Poorer Debate

26.10.2005 10:01

No, I don't have first hand experience of what's happening on the ground in Iraq. Neither do you, and neither does the person above suggesting - strongly - that coalition forces are targetting journalists.

On the other hand we have Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a wholly independent body which strives for press freedom. Which investigates and publishes a good report on the risk faced by media staff in Iraq. And says that 1/3 have been killed by coalition forces, the remainder by the Iraqi resistance/insurgents.

Now I think its safe to say that RSF do know more about the situation on the ground than any of us do. So speaking frankly, your opening argument is meaningless.

I'd love a link to your source for the divide and conquer/ethnic tensions document.

You then mention the supposed "false flag" operations, which I take to be the SAS operatives. But the jury is still out on that one - there's another thread raging away regarding photographs of the explosives (or more specifically the lack thereof). Its far from conclusive.

Last, and possibly least, we have your name. "Why are you even here". Well excuse me if I don't let a rabid hatred of the establishment completely overwhelm my critical faculties and ability to expect reasoned argument instead of polemic.

The question is "Why are you here"? Conspiracy web sites all full up?

Not Amused

Blame game

26.10.2005 14:20

The legal and moral responsibility for all the deaths in Iraq since the illegal invasion falls squarely on the shoulders of the USuk politicians who ordered it, regardless of who is doing the killing.

RSF aren't the only authority worth quoting - the International Federation of Journalists carry more credibility imo. RSF have 100 correspondents worldwide compared to IFJs 500,000 members.

It is interesting that while RSF estimate 73 dead journalists and media workers in Iraq, plus 2 missing, the IFJ put the figure at 100 dead.

It's a fairly safe bet that journalists and media workers are targetted to provide maximum publicity. They are attacked in their hotels simply because few of them ever leave it's relative safety. As Western journalists are in the main either unwilling or unable to report from Iraq, we are unable to verify much of what happens there.
And on top of this we have to filter out the lies of the BBC (which today said estimates of Iraqi civilian dead are 'about 25,000'.
Personally, I am reporting the BBC to the police for this politically motivated underestimate, just to make myself feel good, but does anyone else fancy setting up an IndyMedia Baghdad to avoid this manipulation ?

Danny

Here's The Link

26.10.2005 19:41

The Reporters Without Borders (of which I am a member) report doesn't support anything you say, Spook. It simply states how many people were killed. You holding it up is simply to distract from the fact that your argument is empty. Journalists know they've been targetted by "Coalition" forces. That's the point: Intimidation.

Here is the text of "Iraq: Options Paper", in which the US and UK discuss their desire for that old Colonial trick - 'Divide & Rule'.

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/iraqoptions.html

But Really, Why Are You Here?

Ach, Read the Link Properly

27.10.2005 09:01

"In 25 cases (45%), Reporters Without Borders is sure they were deliberately killed, a much
higher rate than in earlier wars, when journalists were usually the victims of indiscriminate
attacks and stray bullets. Both foreign and Iraqi journalists are targeted in Iraq. The huge
media coverage of the conflict puts journalists to the fore as key players, which also makes
them targets of those trying to destabilise the US-led coalition and the new Iraqi authorities." - page 5

"A third of the deaths can be attributed to armed groups fighting the US-led Coalition forces
and the new Iraqi authorities. But in eight cases (14%), US forces were to blame. In some of
these, the Pentagon admitted they were at fault, saying mistakes had been made and
accidental damage caused." - page 7

Iraqis are the main victims of violence in their country. Foreign journalists were widely
targeted in the first weeks of the fighting but fewer are being killed now. However
kidnappings of them have soared, and 28 of the 29 since the start of the fighting have been in
the last year. Eleven journalists have been kidnapped so far this year and three have been
executed by their captors.The nationality of those seized shows that politics is not the kidnappers’ only motive and that money also plays a part, as well as the aim of some groups to keep the country in turmoil. - page 9

Now assuming that your last post was named at me, Why Are You Here, I'd love you to explain in what way my last piece and the above sections of the report do not support each other.

The insults are especially classy. Obviously anyone who disagrees with your own views has no right to psot on the site and must be a "spook".

Not Amused

... whilst ...

27.10.2005 09:38

... arguing about the number of reporters & photographers killed and by whom ...

... the actual reality of these attacks are ignored.

Far from targeting members of the embedded military news elite, these attacks are more likely to be targeting the very many anonomous military contractors (mercenaries to you and I) stationed in the Palestine and Sheriton hotels.

The sophistication of planning, execution and intent gives a good indication of the real state of play - even in the 'heavily fortified' green zone.

It is also unlikely that sucicide bombers are the prefered method, it being as easy to remotey control and detonate.

Compare these events to the ones in which crude, but large, bombs are detonated within large crowded spaces ... both in terms of stategic planning & execution, but also in terms of desired 'message' ... why would the resistance waste valuable men and resources attacking ordinary Iraqis buying flour, when they could be attacking politically sensitive and militarily significant sites?

Compared with mr talkinghead from ITN/NBC/CNN etc, the murderous mercenary scum from blackwater et al are far more tempting a target. Can understand why the hysterical media think that they are the real targets. Can't understand why we should follow suit.

jacklucid
mail e-mail: jackslcuid@hotmail.com