US troops shoot Iraq photographer (update)

[Nambe]

BBC News World Edition

The Pentagon has confirmed that US troops have shot and killed a cameraman working for Reuters news agency in Iraq.

The shooting happened at Abu Ghraib prison, west of Baghdad, where six Iraqis were killed in a mortar attack late on Saturday.

The US military said that soldiers had mistaken Mazen Dana's camera for a rocket propelled grenade launcher. -

His sound engineer, Nael al-Shyoukhi, said that the pair had spoken to a US soldier near the prison shortly before the shooting.

"They saw us and they knew about our identities and our mission," he said.

Two shot were fired from a US tank.

Banish bush From Texas Too

[Dude_CalmDown]

1. Was this the Blind Battalion?

"soldiers had mistaken Mazen Dana's camera for a rocket propelled grenade launcher"

-And Shrub won the election

-And I have 4 asses

-And Anne Coulter is one sexy honey.

[MiltonLeBerle]

2. I wonder what he might have had pictures of?

evidence of 'planting' of WMD's, for instance.

[MissMarple]

3. You guys are so good.

:evilgrin:

[Tom Kitten]

4. It's on Yahoo now...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20030817/ts_nm/iraq_cameraman_dc

[Dover]

5. I figured he was murdered. The U.S. has murdered reporters before

and Iraq and other war zones are like a free-kill zone. I hope this one ends up in the courts where it belongs.

AND I hope the press slaughters them in print. They have got to be seeing red now at Reuters. This is an outrage!!!

[0rganism]

6. Hmm, I wonder if the "liberal media" will cover this up, too

"Just a freak accident."
"He knew the risks."
"It's a combat zone, what can you do?"
"You know, with the right lighting, that camera does look kinda dangerous."
"Saddam was an Al Qaeda madman with weapons of mass destruction, so of course we have to kill journalists. Isn't it obvious?"

And so on.

[Rex]

7. So now cameras looks like a RPG?

That must have been one HELL of a telephoto lens. :eyes:

[JackSwift]

8. The media are all toast if

they get out of line.

[Dover]

9. The BBC is certainly taking some heat

I think someone(s) in the British gov. paid this woman off to change her testimony about Kelly/Gilligan. They are determined to discredit that news organization which has become the only thing between their lies and complete manipulation of the populace. The same battle is being waged here in the U.S., but Bushco hasn't got anything equivalent to the BBC to beat down. But the Beeb is the Bushco and Blair gov's mutual enemy.

http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/index.cfm?id=888222003

[Briar]

10. Watts missed the story

Watts didn't change her story, she didn't *see* the story. She may be a good science correspondence but she wouldn't know a fantastic political scoop if it was dropped in her lap (which it was - Kelly was obviously keen to get the story out). She just can't forgive Gilligan for having better instincts than her.

As for her story contradicting Gilligan's, it doesn't. It amply confirms it, and only Watts and the BBC haters are saying otherwise.

[Dover]

11. I stand corrected.....thanks for the info...........n/t

...

And WELCOME TO DU !!!

[0007]

12. Touchy men with hair triggers

equal death!

[Turley]

13. Get your flamethrowers ready

From the photo the distance looks about 75m although we don't know how close the tank was when they opened fire. Also not clear whether it was the gunner's weapon or one mounted on turret. The gunner would have been looking through a viewfinder, not the best for picking out dismounted enemy, especially when you're bumping down a dusty road. In any case he could have easily mistaken the camera for a shoulder-mounted weapon, RPG or otherwise.

Most likely the guy in the hatch shot him. An RPG from the front generally won't damage an M1 too much but if you're up in the hatch you'd pretty much be hamburger if one hit even close to you. Being up in that hatch is a scary, vulnerable place to be.

Obviously we don't know if the Commander (I assume) observed the cameraman for any length of time or if he just shot in reaction to an unknown guy jumping out of a car and putting something up on his shoulder. Just too many unknowns here but from my point of view it would be very easy for either the gunner or the commander to mistake the camera for a weapon depending on speed, dust, line of sight, whether he just acquired the cameraman at the last second, and other factors.

I have to wonder about the context of his ccolleagues comment that "they knew our identities and our mission". Is he referring to the dismounted soldiers at the prison or the mounted soldiers approaching it. Not sure how he could make any sort of determination that the monted soldiers had a clue. I suspect he was quoted out of context.

Anyhoo, flame away. Just thought I'd give the "Veteran's perspective".

Cheers

[MaineDem]

14. Mu husband just said the same thing

The "in the heat of battle" scenario kind of thing.

I read that these journos were clearly identified - markings on their clothing, etc. But could the tank guys see that?

On the other hand, I would like to think that our shooters are able to tell the difference between a camera and an RPG launcher.

[Kemet]

15. one sided

Although i believe mistakes are possible, specially in such a chaotic place, i can't help having the impression that these are one sided. Now i havent kept count but how many journalists were killed by the iraqui forces (or resistance groups) during and "after" the war?
Just curious.