[iwar] [fc:Pressure.Mounts.On.TV.Station.Over.Bin.Laden]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2001-10-15 07:28:33
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From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
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Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 07:28:33 -0700 (PDT)
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London Sunday Telegraph
October 14, 2001
Pressure Mounts On TV Station Over Bin Laden
By Martin Bentham in Qatar
The Arab television station that broadcast Osama bin Laden's riposte to the
West after the first air strikes on Afghanistan struck a secret deal to
screen his propaganda 15 days before the raids.
The Al-Jazeera channel, based in the Gulf state of Qatar, was told by the
terrorist leader to be ready to receive a videotaped message of defiance
"any time" after approaching him through contacts in Kabul.
In return the station - which used Afghans hired for their links with
al-Qa'eda to assist in the deal - assured bin Laden that it was ready to
broadcast his opinions in full regardless of any protests from the West.
So anxious was the station to publicise his views that it ordered its Kabul
correspondent, Tayfeer Allouni, who had fled the city shortly after the
World Trade Centre atrocity, to return even though he feared for his life.
The revelations, obtained by The Telegraph during a visit to the channel's
headquarters in Qatar, will intensify international pressure on the station
to curtail its dealings with bin Laden.
Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, warned last week that his
video-taped appearances contained coded messages to his supporters.
Downing Street was also privately infuriated that the station broadcast bin
Laden's words within hours of the bombing and felt compelled to arrange a
"rebuttal" appearance by Tony Blair to counter fears that al-Qa'eda had
scored a propaganda success.
The channel has played down its links with bin Laden until now claiming that
his taped message last Sunday and the al-Qa'eda video which it received two
days later, had been sent to it simply because its office in Kabul made it
easy for the terrorist leader to contact the outside world through them.
Ibrahim Helal, the station's chief editor, however, confessed that there
were much closer links with al-Qa'eda than it previously admitted. He said
that the station had actively solicited a taped message from bin Laden. 
"After American investigators started talking about bin Laden, we contacted
our correspondent in Kabul asking if he can get any reaction of denial from
that side. Al-Qa'eda was getting accused. He told us that we can get
reaction any time. Fifteen days before we received this tape he told us:
'Expect a reaction'.
"Somebody came to Kabul with this message, then with the tape itself. I deny
the rumours that we had the tape and that we embargoed it until after the
attack. It happened just by chance that it arrived immediately afterwards. A
couple of hours after."
Inside the Al-Jazeera studios - a heavily guarded compound in the capital,
Doha - there is little sympathy for the station's critics.
There is, however, a great deal of pride at the fame which the bin Laden
tape, the al-Qa'eda video and the subsequent footage of American attacks on
Kabul has brought.
"Everybody feels proud and happy here because this channel is becoming
famous and we will become famous too," said Abdullah Khalid, a satellite
engineer. 
A film of American warplanes bombing the Afghan capital appeared on the
screens behind him. Such delight in the station's fame is widespread. Around
the newsroom, where large banks of televisions show news broadcasts from the
Gulf States, the BBC and CNN, there were many grins and expressions of
satisfaction.
Set up five years ago with funding from the Emir of Qatar, Al-Jazeera has an
estimated 35 million viewers across the Gulf, the Middle East, North Africa,
Europe, Britain and America, and has become known as the "Arab BBC".
In 1998 it broadcast a two-and-a-half hour interview with bin Laden - the
last time he has been cross-examined on television. Since then it has
screened several videos of him, including footage of him at his son's
wedding and last week's call for the Islamic world to rise up in a Jihad
against the West.
As well as Kabul, where it is the only operational television news
organisation, Al-Jazeera has bureaux in other Gulf states, London,
Washington, Paris and Brussels. 
Previous criticism of its content has come mainly from Arab states where the
broadcast media is state-controlled. Such attacks have only increased its
popularity and there is a feeling that US complaints will have a similar
positive effect on viewing figures.
For Ibrahim Helal, who worked in London for the BBC's Arabic channels, the
channel is simply doing its job. "If we can reach Osama, or Osama can reach
us, or if we can reach Mullah Omar [the Taliban leader] it is just
journalism, you have to try to get information," he said.
"You have to know what the other side looks like, you have to listen to him.
If I put myself in the other camp, in the West, even politicians in the West
need to know him, they need to know what al-Qa'eda thinks. We are giving
them a great chance to get to know the other side of the story."
Similar sentiments were expressed by Hamad bin Thamer al Thani, the chairman
of Al-Jazeera and a member of the Qatari Royal Family.
"I am not in a position to know whether there is a message in any videotape
we receive. Our target is to do things professionally from a journalistic
point of view. We leave security concerns to security people. If we have
scoops we will cover them," he said.
"According to all that we see throughout the world, Al-Jazeera is tops with
Arab public opinion. We will maintain our editorial policy of respect for
all opinions." 
Asked whether he was concerned that the inflammatory nature of the bin Laden
tapes might result in many deaths, or if he was worried that the channel was
achieving fame by broadcasting material which was inciting hatred, Mr al
Thani expressed no doubts. He replied: "I am talking from a media point of
view, I am not talking from a sensitive or a heart point of view."
As the bombs continue to drop on Afghanistan, the biggest challenge for
Al-Jazeera now is how to prosper once their top prospect is captured or
killed. "Our credibility is at stake and we are determined to protect it,"
said Mr Helal. "Our future will depend upon it."

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