Posted on 05/27/2004 9:26:51 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
May 27, 2004 | Filmmaker Michael Moore filmed an interview with American Nicholas Berg in the course of producing his documentary film "Fahrenheit 9/11" before Berg left for Iraq, where he was taken hostage and killed, Moore confirmed to Salon in a statement Thursday. The 20 minutes of footage does not appear in the final version of "Fahrenheit 911," according to the statement.
Word of the footage reached Salon through a source unaffiliated with Moore or his film "Fahrenheit 9/11," which is reported to feature stark images of U.S. civilians and soldiers grappling with conditions in war-torn Iraq, as well as examining the relationship between President George W. Bush and the bin Laden family. It received the Palme d'Or, the Cannes Film Festival's highest honor, on Saturday.
In a statement widely circulated by Moore's people after an initial request for comment by Salon, Moore said, "We have an interview with Nick Berg. It was approximately 20 minutes long. We are not releasing it to the media. It is not in the film. We are dealing privately with the family." Moore's camp declined to comment further on any aspect of the interview. Because the footage is not in the film, a spokeswoman for Miramax Films, the production company behind "Fahrenheit 9/11," said the company had no comment.
It was not clear from Moore's statement whether footage from the interview with Berg had ever been included in early cuts of "Fahrenheit 9/11." Reports about a film industry controversy surrounding distribution of the film first hit the news on May 5, a week before Berg's death. The film officially screened for the public and the press for the first time during the Cannes festival on May 17.
The news that Moore spoke to Berg while he was still in the United States only adds to the mystery surrounding the young man's presence in Iraq and tragic death. The interview was shot before the 26-year-old Berg left for Iraq late last year as a private contractor in the hopes of helping to rebuild the ravaged country. Though it was unclear what Berg spoke about in his interview with Moore, or how the two men met, unrelated reports following his death indicate that he headed for the Middle East with plans to work to improve the country's technological infrastructure and communication abilities. He ran his own company, Prometheus Methods Tower Service, in a suburb of Philadelphia.
Berg did not find employment in Iraq, and when he attempted to return to the United States he was detained by Iraqi police and questioned by American forces. He was released after his family complained. But shortly after, he is believed to have been kidnapped by Islamic terrorists. Video of his beheading was released on an Islamist Web site on May 11. Salon was unable to reach the Berg family for comment before publication.
Moore's film chronicles the United States' military, political and business involvement in the Middle East in the years before and after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. His previous politically charged films, including "Roger & Me" and "Bowling for Columbine," have created controversy and won him praise (including an Oscar, for "Columbine"). "Fahrenheit 9/11" has already sparked a media storm; in early May, Miramax's parent company, Disney, announced that it would not allow Miramax to distribute the film, which is highly critical of Bush and his administration.
Miramax has yet to make a deal with a distributor, though the film's warm reception at Cannes and the publicity surrounding the film have made it a hot property that is generating a lot of interest in Hollywood. "Bowling for Columbine" grossed $21 million, making it the highest-grossing non-IMAX documentary of all time.
A source close to "Fahrenheit 9/11" said that a new distributor will be announced shortly, and that the film is expected to be released in theaters during the first week of July, as originally planned.
Oh, goody.
Do you remember if that Australian article about "Mustafa Al-Mudafer," the Maitland-based Iraqi who grew up in Basra and owns a kebab shop has been posted?
I agree. Would it be so shocking to find out there are other radical leftists in the family tree? We need to stay on the Moore angle. I wish I could dig up info as good as some of you all do.
I'd like us all to remember we are still at war, and trying to smear our military over that beheading should only be done on anti-american sedition websites.
You took my post the wrong way, if that was directed to me. I was being sarcastic when I called what happened "atrocities", but that's how the ultra-Bush hating Left sees it. Personally it's more like stupid fraternity pranks to me. They should have forced them to "shotgun cans of beer". That'll teach them. ((rolling my eyes))
I'm just exploring a personal opinion that there is a chance that this video was indeed faked. Why would someone do that? What is the payoff? What does Michael Moore do best? That is all I was getting at. Sorry if you took it the wrong way, but I was in a hurry and should have explained my reasoning further...
You guys should be working for the FBI!! You are all such good detectives!!
Muzaffar in Pennsylvania (checked all Mud* and Muz*)
Licensing Query, State of Pennsylvania
BASIT ALI MUZAFFAR, Engineers Professional Engineer, PE057226E
HUMERA MUZAFFAR, Medicine Medical Physician and Surgeon, MD036708L
KAMAL SYED MUZAFFAR, Medicine Graduate Medical Trainee, MT039059T
KAMAL SYED MUZAFFAR, Medicine Medical Physician and Surgeon MD417630
QAZI MUHAMMAD MUZAFFAR MOHSIN, Medicine Medical Physician and Surgeon, MD062264L
QAZI MUHAMMAD MUZAFFAR-MOHSIN, Medicine Graduate Medical Trainee, MT031074T
Thanks. No I haven't seen the old stuff on Phillip Berg. I'll take a quick looksee...
I've never seen it. If I had, I would have bookmarked, copied and saved it. ;-)
How am I supposed to use that site? I tried a couple of options and it didn't work.
If you don't have a full name, you need to use * as a wildcard. (I queried with "mud*" and "muz*"... I got lots of Mudry... no Mudafer. LOL.
If you have a firewall, or don't have java enabled, that could also cause a problem.
Hmmm, wonder if there is a way to search for any contacts between PJ Berg, and Michael Moore? That might be even more interesting than his connections with N Berg.
The problem is that I'm sure these people are monitoring this thread, and are scrubbing anything incriminating as we speak. Earth to FBI...my tinfoil hat would do any Viking kitty proud '-)
True, but it seems as likely to me that Moore could be a useful idiot to far more sinister types. I mean do you really think Moore would ask many questions of those feeding him information that fit his anti-Bush agenda?
The name Bouayad was driving me crazy... I finally remembered why. So... who is JABAR PIERRE? Aziz married to the mob?:
Eastern District Of Pennsylvania Case Summary 2:93-cr-00241-EL USA v. SIGAL, et al Date filed: 05/13/1993 Date terminated: 02/03/1997 Citation Code: Defendants 1&2: 21:841B=ND.F Citation Text: 21:841(a)(1) Distribution of Crack Cocaine; 18:2 Aiding and abetting Defendants 3-16: 21:846=ND.F Citation Text: 21:846 Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine (Criminal Forfeiture) Defendants: VALERY SIGAL (1) GENNADY SIGAL (2) ZOLTAN RACZ (3) ZOLTON HARTA (4) DANY HERSOHN (5) FNU KIM (6) MI RAN KIM (7) MENACHEM GOLA (8) JABAR PIERRE BOUAYAD (9) JOHN BONNER (10) JAMES SKYRM (11) ROBERT PLATT (12) YECHIEL SHIFMAN (13) MAJID GHOLAMZADEH (14) EDIK ILIN (15) AZIZ KADOORY AZIZ (16)
There is a Rochelle A. Bouayad (A=Amina?) in the Pennsylvania Licenses database. The license was issued in 1987, expired in 1988, and current status is listed as Inactive. The address listed simply says "JOHN P MOSCONY INC PHILADELPHIA PA 19142." Out of curiosity, I searched for Moscony and came up with this legal decision (PDF FILE) from the US District Court (ED-PA) regarding a motion to dismiss three petitions for writ of mandamus filed by Moscony. From the background section:
On July 10, 1990, [John P.] Moscony was sentenced to eighty months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release for money laundering, obstruction of justice, false statements, interstate transportation of money taken by fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and filing false tax returns. Moscony was also fined $150,000.00 and restitution of $418,000.00 and forfeiture of certain real and personal property was ordered. Following Moscony’s release from incarceration, the Probation Department supervised his release pursuant to the conditions set forth in the judgment of conviction.3 Between 1995 and 1996, Moscony filed three separate petitions for writ of mandamus, all of which pertained to various issues concerning his supervised release.
Moscony also requests that his release be transferred to the Northfield, New Jersey Probation Office (which took place).
Just more law abiding citizens affiliated with Mr. Aziz?
Ooops... forgot to say what type of license.
Type: Real Estate Salesperson-Standard
Inmate Information Register Number Name Age Race Sex Date Released 46924-066 JABAR PIERRE BOUAYAD 38 WHITE MALE 11/20/98 46907-066 VALERY SIGAL 42 WHITE MALE 5/21/99 46906-066 GENNADY SIGAL 45 WHITE MALE 12/31/97 46911-066 ZOLTAN RACZ 37 WHITE MALE 7/13/98 46904-066 ZOLTAN HARTA 43 WHITE MALE 3/21/97 16514-050 MENACHEM GOLA 61 WHITE MALE 5/26/93 46916-066 JOHN BONNER 40 WHITE MALE 5/07/99 16516-050 JAMES CARLOS SKYRM 71 WHITE MALE 5/21/93 11573-018 ROBERT LEWIS SR PLATT 60 WHITE MALE 2/22/91 46908-066 YECHIEL SHIFMAN 40 WHITE MALE 5/20/93 03494-015 MAJID GHOLAMZADEH 53 WHITE MALE 5/25/93
Inmate Information from Bureau of Prisons Inmate Register Number: 46903-066 Name: KADOURY AZIZ AZIZ Age: 40 Race: WHITE Sex: MALE Date Released: 5/24/93
---Goose-chase?--- Sorry, but trying to track people by their middle-eastern regional TRIBAL names [al-Whatever] is probably NOT a good idea.
And then, to expand upon that by adding an extra syllable, and expanding on that some MORE by adding other towns, probably won't be productive or further this discussion.
............I was asked WHERE IS THE UNCLE
...........This says the uncle LIVES NEAR BAGHDAD (not Mosul)
Michael Berg said that his sister, who is now deceased, married
an Iraqi man who lives near Baghdad.
http://kyw.com/Local%20News/local_story_133170949.html
He [Nick] described the conditions for other prisoners and their treatment, depending sometimes on nationality. The others, he wrote, were behind closed cell doors and had no time outdoors. Some prisoners, considered political or suspected war criminals from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran "had been in custody for 40 days without a single interpreter interrogation, just waiting as they still do today, and the Iraqi guards treat these poor fellows — especially the Hindis among them — as real dogs.'
[...I also recall Nick mentioning in an email, referring to Iraqi's at Abu Gore-eb as 'POLITICAL PRISONERS'...] ...
He was seen by friends immediately after leaving the jail. In Baghdad, one friend, Andrew Robert Duke, who stayed at Al Fanar Tower Hotel, where he met Mr. Berg last month, recalled how much he was anticipating returning home when they had their last beer together on April 9.
...
The men sat at a round glass-top coffee table on the sixth floor of the hotel. Mr. Berg told Mr. Duke that he was planning to go on a holiday to Turkey and maybe do some sailing. They finished their drinks, and Mr. Berg rose to go.
"I walked him to my door," Mr. Duke said. "Watched him open his door. I said: `Good luck, my friend. Stay in touch.' He said, `I am looking forward to it.' "
Mr. Berg was often seen socializing in the dining room or at the computers next to the lobby. Of muscular build, he often wore a baseball cap, a T-shirt cut off at the shoulders and tattered blue jeans.
[Wouldn't THAT be where terrorist would most likely go to ANONYMOUSLY use the internet?]
"He came and went by himself," said a hotel office manager who gave first name as Ahmed.
The hotel staff cleared out his room, 602, and stowed a set of weights that Mr. Berg had left.
[Doesn't that sound like Nick left suddenly, or unexpectedly?]
...
"He never talked about the war or said anything bad about Iraqis," Hugo Infante, a Chilean who works for United Press International, said.
"Just yesterday we realized he was killed," Mr. Infante said. "I saw his name on the Web site. When I saw the name, I said it was not possible it is Nick. Then I saw the face. He looked skinnier and paler."
Mr. Berg's friends and acquaintances at the hotel said he was working on communications towers for some Baghdad hotels. Mr. Infante said he last saw Mr. Berg on April 10, writing an e-mail message to his family. "I saw him there," he said, gesturing to the Internet cafe. "I said, `Hello, how are you?'
"And he said, `I want to go home.' "
[An April 10th sighting by Hugo Infante? Thats new info to me, And THAT makes HUGO the LAST associate to see him!]
[Does anyone know of the final email the Bergs received?]
Sorry, but trying to track people by their middle-eastern regional TRIBAL names [al-Whatever] is probably NOT a good idea.
And then, to expand upon that by adding an extra syllable, and expanding on that some MORE by adding other towns, probably won't be productive or further this discussion.
I assume your post is in reference to my research, even though you didn't have the courtesy to direct your post to me. Just for the heck of it, let's recap....
Nick's email used the name Mudafer in reference to his uncle's family. News reports used the name al-Muzfar with respect to same. I suggested that possibly it was the same as Al-Muzaffar. Nita already posted validation that the press has used the name Al-Mudafer synonymously with Al-Muzaffar. Therefore, my assumption was not far-fetched.
You said one shouldn't add syllables. Yet in an earlier post to me, you justified that it was perfectly acceptable to add or delete consonants. That seems a bit inconsistent.
How about these names? (all used interchangeably) Saïd, Saeed, Said, Saheed, Sahid, Sayeed or Sayid
How about these names? Hussein, Hussain, Husayn.
Regarding tribal names, I believe we have already found they should not be ignored while researching Mr. Aziz. He has used all of the following names, about half of which are based on his "tribal name": Aziz Kadoory Aziz, Aziz K. Aziz, Aziz Kadoory, Aziz Kadorry, Kadoory Aziz, Aziz Kadoury Aziz, Joe Aziz, Aziz Al-Taee, Aziz Altaee, Aziz Taee, Aziz Al-Taie, Aziz Taie.
You find consideration of Al-Muzaffar from different geographic areas to be counterproductive. Yet, you yourself are now quoting an article that said the uncle lived near Baghdad (as does Sami Al-Muzaffar).
I don't consider these items goose chases anymore than following posts to other forums posting conspiracy theories. In fact, I find them less so. If you think it's a goose chase, don't chase the goose.
We don't all think the same way, nor analyze information in the same way. But the contribution, thoughts, and research of many is what gives FR its strength. I try to support everything I post with sources, state clearly when I am expressing opinion, and not make leaps in information. If you find it useful, great. If you don't, why not just ignore it instead of insulting the originator by posting mocking pictures?
Have a great day :-)
Yet another inconsistency:
In the message dated April 6, addressed to his parents, brother and sister, Mr. Berg described the 13 days that he spent in the Shirdta Iraqiyah station near Mosul, an Iraqi detention center where, he said, the United States Military Police supervised and trained the Iraqi officers.He arrived on March 14 and was arrested on March 24.
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