News photographer in Iraq accused of insurgent ties

[bobatkins]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. military says it has "convincing and irrefutable"

evidence that an award-winning Associated Press photographer is connected to

the insurgency in Iraq.

 

The photographer, Bilal Hussein Zaidon, faces charges in the Iraqi Central

Court based on the evidence, Pentagon officials said Monday.

 

One of Hussein's photographs was among a series of 20 AP photographs that won

the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news photography in 2005

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/19/photographer.detained/

[Hector Javkin]

The Associated Press doesn't believe this. And the photographer has been detained since last year.

[Hector Javkin]

The above should have read, "The Associated Press doesn't believe this accusation."

[john_h.1]

"convincing and irrefutable evidence"

 

Just like the WMD.

[jdudley]

You know, I'm all for sticking up for your bretheren. And of course, the government and

military have made plenty of mistakes. But every time they hold someone, it isn't a given that

it's an injustice. Maybe they really do have evidence. Let it play out in court--as it's going to

do now, as it should. I don't know the answers here, and neither does anyone else here.

 

It'll be an interesting story to continue to follow, for sure.

[photobiscuits]

I'm confused - I always thought journalists had some kind of protection, some sort of status that sets them apart from the active participants and makes them observers only. This is the guarantee that makes possible interviews with mysterious people - without danger of the interviewer being interrogated afterwards.<br>

?<br>

Of course, if the guy was caught with bomb making equipment in his house...then obviously that's a different matter...

[beauh44]

<I>Let it play out in court</i><P>

 

Ahh, therein lies the rub:<P>

 

<a href="http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112007P.shtml">"freedom for Bilal Hussein...</a> isn't guaranteed even if the judge rejects the eventual U.S. charges. The military can indefinitely hold suspects considered security risks in Iraq."<P>

 

With Habeas Corpus suspended that can happen here in the US too.

[JDMvW]

"I'm confused - I always thought journalists had some kind of protection, some sort of status that sets them apart from the active participants and makes them observers only. This is the guarantee that makes possible interviews with mysterious people - without danger of the interviewer being interrogated afterwards."

 

Not in THIS war, at any rate. In any war, it was only a pious hope on the part of the journalists.

 

Try to look up some figures on the number of journalists killed in this situation over the last several years. Much higher, as I understand it, than in previous "conflicts."

[jb-avril]

While I was working as a photographer in Bosnia, it used to be said that serbian snipers

had 500 Deutch Mark per reporter killed (just another way to stop the press). The fact is

we had then more reporters killed during the first year of conflict (about 70) than during

the all Vietnam war...

There is a price to report nowadays! A reporter has to have some kind of ties with one or

another side of the parties engaged in a conflict, that doesn't make them collaborators in

any ways.

Reporting in Irak is more and more (photowise) the business of "stringers" as international

photographers have more difficulties to get in the field. Their agencies and insurrance

compagnies are also quiet reluctant to send them in the field. That might make it easier

for international forces in Irak to assimilate them to local terrorists...

[mharris]

Jim Said "Let it play out in court". Well that's if they get their day in court, not very many of the detainees are.

[sam_motskin]

"The Associated Press doesn't believe this accusation." And what else AP is expected to say: " Yeah, sorry, we had a spy on the payroll". For those familiar with the Middle east this is no surprise. There are many unreported cases when locals working for the US as paramedics, drivers, and yes, journalists have been in fact planted by the hostaile forces. There are in the best position to collect info thru contacts they develop.

"it used to be said that serbian snipers had 500 Deutch Mark per reporter killed". I wonder why no photojournalist documented mass murders of Serbs in Kraina province of Croatia and the total destruction of the serbian population in Kosovo

[jb-avril]

"mass murders of Serbs in Kraina province of Croatia and the total destruction of the serbian population in Kosovo" ???

the point is not to count who's fault it is, but just to find out why?

From my own point of views, someone using a fake identity to collect informations has nothing to do with someone using the skills of his profession in order to report. No reasons to mix it up...

My previous point was just to mention that forces on the ground (and Bosnia was about the first case to that extended level)use nowadays all possible means to stop reporters to work.

During the Vietnam war, reporters had more access to the field than high ranked officers. That is obviously different by now, unfortunatly for the public :((

[jeffpolaski]

Powerful photo, Jean-Baptiste. And you are right to note that warfare has changed. Be careful out there.

[lee_carruthers]

"Let it play out in court" - what a joke!! The rule of law has long since died in the U.S. I can't describe the contempt I feel for the perpetrators of the so-called U.S. War on Terror. It has simply become an excuse to impose a police state on otherwise free and decent human beings.

 

The right-wing paranoia has also spread to Canada, where our police now taser (to death) non-threatening individuals out of convenience, and give false information to U.S. authorities who "render" our citizens to torture states.

 

Every innocent Iraqi, Afghani (or whoever) killed, crippled and tortured by Western police and soldiers creates 50 more people who hate those authorities and the West. It's really all about justice and injustice. Those helpless victims of military violence and police-state tactics will eventually resort to desperate measures - and will be branded "terrorists".

 

And, of course, a key component of every police state is control of the press.

 

When will we say "enough!"

[lee_carruthers]

To emphasize my point here, this kind of stuff is just plain getting out of hand. The "security" excuse for most of the outrageous arrests and detentions going on in the U.S., Canada and their respective war zones is a complete red herring. The powers that be are far too quick to write off human rights and the rule of law to "national security."

 

The incidents are becoming far too frequent to ignore and, quite frankly, people are beginning to notice. Police and military have the bit in their teeth and are just running with it. Give Zaidon (and other detainees) his day in a real court, with full due process. Anything less is an abuse of power, facilitated by political fear-mongering.

 

People who think we're going to solve the "terrorist" problem with guns and police-state tactics are sadly mistaken. The ultimate outcome will see us all locked up in concrete bunkers with no freedom or quality of life. Create justice in the world, including sharing the wealth, and watch things improve.

[sam_motskin]

" but just to find out why?" It's a key point and (photo)Journalists would do well to study local history to understand that. A major reason HCB was a great photojournalist that he very seldom allowed his political leanings to interfere with his pictures. A book of his pictures taken in 1972 in the USSR (About Russia) is a stellar example. I was born in that country and left it in 1972 and I can say that no other Western photographer has even come close to what he did.

[sam_motskin]

This is a photography forum. Moderators should not allow crazy preaching like L.Carruthers' here. If he supports islamic fundamentalists he should go to a Hizballah, Hamas, or Al-qaida site

[bernardwest]

<i>This is a photography forum. Moderators should not allow crazy preaching like......If he supports islamic fundamentalists he should go to a Hizballah, Hamas, or Al-qaida site</i><br><br>

 

Hello pot, this is the kettle....

[jdudley]

Good grief. What a thread. Didn't want to start a political bashing. I was just pointing out

that blindly supporting a fellow photog, when we really have no idea of his innocence or

lack thereof, is silly. The COURTS should, and have to, assume innocence until guilt is

proven. But we, as bystanders, do not. I hope he, and the government, have their day in

court. And I hope it's a fair day. That was my only point.

 

Carruthers posting about right-wing paranoia and tazering people to death "out of

convenience" is just silliness. Odd that he used the word paranoia in a sentence that is so

paranoid itself. I assume, then, he knows this photog is innocent? His posts seem to

assume guilt on the side of the government in ALL situations.

[jdudley]

having said that....I'm not a fan of indefinite detention without charging someone of a crime.

Either show someone did something, or let them go.

 

He should have his day in court, and if acquitted, he should be set free. That's fair. We'll see.

[ptucci]

to Sam Motskin:

I've never been to Russia, but one of my favorite photographers is Margaret Bourke-White, and I believe she did a pretty good job of covering Russia in the thirties.

[sam_motskin]

"..Margaret Bourke-White, and I believe she did a pretty good job of covering Russia in the thirties"

Peter, She was sure a good photographer but her pictures could be a commercial for Stalin's USSR. They are basically superficial. And as such they were used to cover up horrors of that time.

HCB's book "About Russia" is different. Some of the pics are subtle (may be too subtle for some) others are right in your face. Like nobody else he succeded in showing real emotions, tensions, and the context. Someone said about Rembrandt that he could say so much with so little. IMHO this appllies to HCB as well. I've a few favorites in the book but it'd take too much space to discuss them here.