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Hotel hit 'deliberate': French TV
Agence France-Presse ^ | April 8, 2003

Posted on 04/08/2003 7:53:54 AM PDT by Indy Pendance

FOOTAGE filmed by France 3 television of a strike on a hotel which killed two journalists in Baghdad today shows a US tank targeting the journalists' hotel and waiting at least two minutes before firing.

The journalist and film editor who filmed the attack, Herve de Ploeg, who filmed the attack, said: "I did not hear any shots in the direction of the tank, which was stationed at the west entrance of the Al-Jumhuriya (Republic) bridge, 600 metres north-west of the hotel.

The tank's turret is seen moving toward the Palestine Hotel, where foreign reporters have set up shop, and the gun carriage lifting and waiting at least two minutes before opening up.

The French TV channel had positioned two cameras in two rooms facing the bridge as of 6.30am (11.30pm AEST).

"It had been very quiet for a moment. There was no shooting at all. Then I saw the turret turning in our direction and the carriage lifting. It faced the target," said De Ploeg.

"It was not a case of instinctive firing," he said. The firing took place at 11.59am (5.59pm AEST), said France 3 reporter Caroline Sinz.

"I'm very specific because I was due to go on air," she explained.

The incident killed a cameraman for the Telecinco Spanish television station and another for the British news agency Reuters. Three Reuters staffers were also wounded.

The Spanish cameraman was named as Jose Couso, 37. The Reuters cameraman was named as Ukrainian Taras Protsyuk, 35.

A US commander said the tank fired a single round at the hotel.

"The tank was receiving fire from the hotel, RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) and small-arms fire, and engaged with one tank round. The firing stopped," said General Buford Blount, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, speaking at Baghdad's international airport.

A reporter for the Arab satellite television Al-Jazeera died earlier today and a cameraman was injured after the station's offices in Baghdad were hit in a separate attack that the Qatar-based channel charged was a deliberate US strike.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: casualties; civiliancasualties; errantmissiles; iraqifreedom
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1 posted on 04/08/2003 7:53:54 AM PDT by Indy Pendance
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To: Indy Pendance
Well then just stay the f*** out of the way.
2 posted on 04/08/2003 7:56:07 AM PDT by IonInsights
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To: Indy Pendance
Life in a war zone is tough and sometimes short. Which way to the French Embasy building?
3 posted on 04/08/2003 7:56:27 AM PDT by Delta 21 (GOD....Guns.....& Guts -- It takes all three to be FREE)
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To: Indy Pendance
Note to journalists: If you are in a building with Iraqi goons shooting RPG's at Americans, you should leave immediately.
4 posted on 04/08/2003 7:57:37 AM PDT by finnman69 (!)
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To: Indy Pendance
It's all about you isn't it?
5 posted on 04/08/2003 7:57:48 AM PDT by Only1choice____Freedom (Again, protestors have NO RIGHT TO BE HEARD, only a freedom to speak.)
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To: Delta 21
The froggies feel neglected..
6 posted on 04/08/2003 7:58:13 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty
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To: Only1choice____Freedom
It's all about you isn't it?

It is. It truly is. Even Fox did an immediate, massive swing to the America-hate side the moment a Precious Journalist got touched. (The hatefest didn't end until F&F came on at 6 am.)

7 posted on 04/08/2003 8:00:08 AM PDT by Timesink
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To: Indy Pendance
Are we sure that the french did not fire at the tank not that I would imply any-wrong-doing by these cowards.
8 posted on 04/08/2003 8:00:32 AM PDT by JEC (Pray for ALL our troops)
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To: Indy Pendance
So make sure that when under attack, you become a target for the bullets. Nimrods.
9 posted on 04/08/2003 8:01:07 AM PDT by sarasota
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To: Timesink
I didn't see that...I saw Brian Wilson come up shortly after the reports and say "This cameraman knew what he was getting into"
10 posted on 04/08/2003 8:02:25 AM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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To: Indy Pendance
I wonder how these journalists are so sure that NO ONE was firing at the tank position from the hotel?

I mean, how can you know if someone is firing from somewhere in the same building you are in or not?
11 posted on 04/08/2003 8:03:20 AM PDT by wimpycat ('Nemo me impune lacessit')
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To: Indy Pendance
If you want to be safe get out of the war zone. If you don't and you die it's your own fault.
12 posted on 04/08/2003 8:03:26 AM PDT by Bikers4Bush
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To: ConservativeMan55
I didn't see that...I saw Brian Wilson come up shortly after the reports and say "This cameraman knew what he was getting into"

The cameraman and the tank hit on the building were two different events, I think.

13 posted on 04/08/2003 8:04:28 AM PDT by Timesink
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To: wimpycat
I mean, how can you know if someone is firing from somewhere in the same building you are in or not?

You don't understand. They're Journalists. They are gods. They simply KNOW. </sarcasm>

14 posted on 04/08/2003 8:05:21 AM PDT by Timesink
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To: Timesink
Even Fox did an immediate, massive swing to the America-hate side the moment a Precious Journalist got touched.

Let me guess. Rita (I'll kiss up to anyone) Cosby was behind it.

15 posted on 04/08/2003 8:05:24 AM PDT by Use It Or Lose It (St. Michael, The Archangel, defend us in battle....")
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To: Indy Pendance
If we were "deliberately" targeting the journalists in this hotel, there wouldn't be one left standing to hurl false charges.

Leni

16 posted on 04/08/2003 8:06:13 AM PDT by MinuteGal (THIS JUST IN ! Astonishing fare reduction for FReeps Ahoy Cruise! Check it out, pronto!)
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To: Use It Or Lose It
Rita has actually gotten better lately...Remember her remark that Saddam looked older than Castro...after that first night of bombing?
17 posted on 04/08/2003 8:07:03 AM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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To: Indy Pendance
I'm no gun expert, but isn't it VERY hard to hear small arms fire even from a short distance if the fire is directed AWAY from where you are? Especially if their is ample concrete around to deflect the sound?

It could easily be possible for small arms fire to be coming from several floors below or above them and they not be able to hear it.

18 posted on 04/08/2003 8:07:45 AM PDT by keithtoo
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To: Indy Pendance
"It was not a case of instinctive firing," he said. The firing took place at 11.59am (5.59pm AEST), said France 3 reporter Caroline Sinz. "I'm very specific because I was due to go on air," she explained. The incident killed a cameraman for the Telecinco Spanish television station and another for the British news agency Reuters. Three Reuters staffers were also wounded.

Yea, we meant to kill reporters from two countries who have supported us from the word go. JEEZ, what a dipstick!!!!

19 posted on 04/08/2003 8:08:12 AM PDT by bullseye1911
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To: Indy Pendance
We're going to war with the French media! EXCELLENT!
20 posted on 04/08/2003 8:08:27 AM PDT by KingPin
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