Posted on 05/23/2003 8:55:06 PM PDT by Pokey78
BBC bosses were branded a disgrace last night for deciding to screen video of two dead British soldiers.
The sickening footage shows the bodies of Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth, 36, and Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24.
The pair said to have been executed by Iraqis after being ambushed in Gulf War II were filmed lying in a dusty street.
Devastated relatives still mourning the soldiers accused BBC chiefs of being heartless and begged them to axe the clip.
It is due to be shown on BBC2 a week from Sunday.
Simons heartbroken widow Alison said:
Im upset. Do these people care about the welfare of those who have lost loved ones?
Im sure those responsible for the programme would not show the film if it was their husband or son who was killed on operations.
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Victim ... Sapper Luke |
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Storm ... BBC boss Dyke |
As far as we are concerned, that footage should never be shown ever.
Alison is beside herself at the moment. It is a dreadful time for her.
She is working so hard to be strong for Matthew who is having a really difficult time.
When he sees this he will be so cut up about it. Everyone in Simons regiment will be very upset. They will want this programme stopped.
Bomb disposal expert Simon, of Essex, and Luke, of North London, were with 33 (EOD) Engineer Regiment, based in Wimbish, Essex.
Simon had served in the Balkans and Afghanistan. Luke, who had a girlfriend Katie, had not seen action before.
Their commanding officer, Lieut Col Tony Troulan, told last night how he had tried to persuade BBC bosses to axe the documentary.
He said: At first it was due to be shown a few days after the funerals and I was appalled.
I wrote to the BBC telling them that was wrong. The headstones hadnt even been put on the graves. They agreed to postpone it for a suitable period.
Obviously a suitable time for the BBC is just a few days.
All I would say to the people at the BBC is that, if it was your husbands body lying in the dirt, being bayed over by an unruly mob, would you want that footage shown?
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Tragedy ... Sun March 28 |
An MoD spokesman said: The MoD has made it very clear to the BBC that it finds it unacceptable for this footage to be broadcast and has requested their co-operation on behalf of the families.
We are extremely disappointed at the BBCs decision and hope they will reconsider.
A military source added: Is eight seconds of footage in a documentary on editorial decisions in wartime more important than the welfare of families who have lost their loved ones at war whilst serving their Queen and country?
To the BBC it obviously is to anyone else, I think not.
A senior Army officer also condemned plans for the broadcast, even if the soldiers faces were digitally obscured.
He said: There is no justification whatsoever for showing these images.
Pixelating out the faces does not change anything. Everyone, especially the relatives, will know who these men are.
A BBC spokeswoman said: We have liaised with the MoD, who have informed the families of the soldiers. We wanted to make them as aware about the programme as possible.
The MoD felt it was more appropriate for them to talk to their relatives. We worked hard to be as sensitive as possible.
We have made sure these images are not sensationalised.
The bodies of Simon and Luke were eventually retrieved and brought back to Britain.
An inquiry is still trying to establish the exact circumstances of their deaths.
They were buried in the same churchyard in Wimbish, Essex, just over two weeks ago.
Additional reporting: SARA NATHAN
and STEVE KENNEDY
Believe me, you don't know what leftist is, living here. Count yourself lucky.
I agree whole-heartedly!!!!
Just like the war protestors who used their excuse that "hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis will be killed" to justify their foolishness . . . I always ask myself, "If they're so interested about innocents being killed, where were they when Saddam was torturing and murdering an even greater number of innocents?"
Carrying that thought to the BBC . . . if they're interested in showing the horrors of war, fine, but show the corpses of the innocent Iraqis currently being excavated from the unmarked and numerous mass graves in Iraq as well. Show the faces of the beautiful Iraqi children who have been spared such a fate. Show the world the WHOLE STORY so they'll truly understand why these two Brits and many others willingly put their lives at risk.
We both know they won't . . . you're right, the leftist wouldn't comprende "fair and balanced" if it jumped up and bit them on the . . .
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