Iraqi Television Producer Killed in Northern City

Associated Press ^ | July 5, 2005 | Staff

[baystaterebel]

A media watchdog organization has condemned the killing of an Iraqi television producer in northern Iraq. Khalid al-Attar, who worked for al-Iraqiya television, was abducted from a Mosul neighborhood by unidentified gunmen and was found shot to death July 1, the state-funded station said.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said it was the ninth killing of a journalist in Mosul, Iraq's third-largest city, about 225 miles northwest of Baghdad.

The organization called on Iraqi and U.S. authorities to investigate, calling Mosul "Iraq's most dangerous city for the press after Baghdad."

Al-Attar, 43, worked for a satirical program that poked fun of the government's perceived carelessness and inability to deal with major issues, including frequent water shortages and power cuts.

More than 60 journalists have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003, according to Reporters Without Borders.

Al-Attar was the fourth journalist killed in recent days.

An Iraqi special correspondent working for Knight Ridder Newspapers was shot June 24 as he approached an U.S.-Iraqi military patrol. It appeared that a U.S. sniper shot him, but Iraqi soldiers in the area at the time also may have been shooting, Knight Ridder has said.

Knight Ridder identified the Iraqi correspondents as Yasser Salihee, 30.

Salihee had the day off and was approaching a joint U.S.-Iraqi patrol near his home, when a single bullet pierced his windshield and struck him in the head, Knight Ridder said.

The military is investigating. U.S. and Iraqi soldiers often are targeted by suicide car bombers. According to Knight Ridder, Salihee had written about the dangers of men driving alone in Iraq and how they often are suspected of being suicide bombers.

[baystaterebel]

Still the Media (AP in this story and a Editor & Publisher article) still report that another journalist, Yasser Salihee, was killed by an American sniper though they have no proof that an American sniper was present.

Please take note of how many articles will be written and speeches will be made connecting Khalid al-Attar death to terrorists.

Hello.....?

This thing on?

Eh hem!

Paging Linda Foley! Paging Linda Foley!

[BenLurkin]

bttt