BBC fed youngsters Al Qaeda propaganda, claims ex-spy chief

London Daily Mail ^ | 29th September 2007 | JAMES CHAPMAN

[Aristotelian]

Britain's former spy chief accused the BBC of "parroting" Al Qaeda propaganda to children as young as six.

Dame Pauline Neville Jones, who is also a former BBC governor, is infuriated at the stance the corporation's Newsround programme took on the September 11 attacks.

She accused the flagship children's news bulletin of feeding an "ugly undercurrent" which suggests the terrorist outrage was somehow justifiable.

Newsround is aimed at viewers aged between six and 12.

On its website it answered the question concerning 9/11, "Why did they do it" by saying: "The way America has got involved in conflicts in regions like the Middle East has made some people very angry, including a group called al Qaeda - who are widely thought to have been behind the attacks."

After the public complained, the text was amended.

It now reads: "Al Qaeda is unhappy with America and other countries getting involved in places like the Middle East.

"People linked to al Qaeda have used violence to make this point in the U.S.A, and in other countries."

Dame Pauline, who headed the Government's Joint Intelligence Committee and is described as the most formidable female diplomat Britain has produced, said the new version was even worse.

"It still says it's all America's fault, and now for daring to be involved in the Middle East at all," she said.

"It wasn't 'people linked to' al Qaeda who killed 3,000 people that day, it was al Qaeda itself.

"Osama bin Laden even boasted of the attacks. Is the BBC really saying that if you're 'unhappy' it's quite normal behaviour to murder people?

"Is the BBC so naive as to take al Qaeda's propaganda at face value? Or is there something more sinister at work here?"

[Aristotelian]

[Gay State Conservative]

Being a semi-regular viewer of the BBC Evening News this doesn’t surprise me one bit.

[SandRat]

A British ditty from the beginning of the last century:

“You do not have
To bribe or twist
The arm
Of the British journalist
Considering what he would do
Unasked
There is no reason to.”

Inspired by the “caveat emptor” principle of Roman law, which sounds a note of caution for potential buyers, media consumers should heed the unwritten warning, “Reader/Viewer/Listener beware.” And some Strong Criticism within the journalistic profession wouldn’t hurt either

[Cinnamon]

no! say it ain’t so!!

every leftist news corp has been doing that from the beginning... except fox news.

[donnab]

oh dear
Its time to email Sinead Rocks (Newsround Editor) again.

sinead.rocks@bbc.co.uk

[hermgem]

Go to Europe and see, hear for yorself, how the “B’ and CNN slam the U.S.
It is day-in day-out, ongoing.
These two, CNN and BBC, are the ones that keep on providing anti USA propaganda which established and reinforces a hate America theme.

[I see my hands]

To: The United Kingdom

"The way America has got involved in conflicts in regions like the Middle East has made some people very angry, including a group called al Qaeda"

Ask your tiny fellow travelers this:

The way Europeans have interfered in America's conflict in Iraq have made some Americans very angry. Would the Americans be justified in the destruction of European cities?

[Proud_USA_Republican]

There is a good reason the english MSM is refered to as “The Gutter Press”.

The BBC is probably the worst than the worst because they are funded primarly by the government, thus never having to worry about losing funding by what they spew. They don’t have to answer to anyone about their content or who they hire.

[devolve]

[Nuc1]

Or is there something more sinister at work here?

Something more sinister. Haven't you figured it out yet? The left is trying to destroy your national identity and turn you into a member of the socialist Utopian Paradise. That means slave by the way. Quit believing the myth that these people are misguided and ignorant, just needing to hear the correct argument to change their minds. They are trying to destroy the west (that includes you) and they know exactly what they are doing.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

"Al Qaeda is unhappy with America and other countries getting involved in places like the Middle East."

I'm unhappy with....

Well it doesn't matter because i'm just going to kill as many innocent victims as I can.

I wonder whether the BBC will justify my murder of innocent people in the same way.

BTW, just in case you believe me, please don't!

[UKrepublican]

In defense - newsround is EXTREMELY light on content - its about a 10 minute programme aired on weekdays.

It is a new light version of the news if that makes sense and aims to appeal to youngsters - in about th 7 to 14 range I’d say.

I just can’t see that they’d be trying to feed al qaeda propaganda to youngsters.

[dixiechick2000]

GOOD post! Thanks for the ping!

"Newsround is aimed at viewers aged between six and 12."

That is just SICK.

Bravo, Dame Pauline!

[ThatchersKiddie]

Actually, Ratty, it’s:

You do not have to bribe or twist -
Thank God - the British journalist.
But seeing what the swine will do
Unbribed, there is no reason to.

This, of course, applies equally to the Daily Mail (the paper that supported Hitler). Just because it’s right-wing doesn’t mean it’s right.