ME and Ophelia

DOUBT CAST ON IRAQ TORTURE PHOTOS
Truck shown in photo was never deployed in Iraq

An investigation is under way into claims that British troops humiliated and assaulted an Iraqi prisoner before throwing him from a moving lorry. The claims were made in the Daily Mirror newspaper which carried photos allegedly taken during the man's ordeal. The Daily Mirror claims British soldiers handed over photos allegedly taken in Iraq.

Sources close to The Queen's Lancashire Regiment said to be involved have told the BBC they are not convinced the pictures are genuine. They believe many aspects of the photographs are extremely suspicious and that the pictures may not have been taken in Iraq. They believe the rifle is an SA80 mk 1 - which was not issued to troops in Iraq. They say soldiers in Iraq wore berets or hard hats - and not floppy hats as in the photos. They also believe the wrong type of Bedford truck is shown in the background - a type never deployed in Iraq.

BBC News Online did not let this story hang around on their front page like they allowed the so-called torture photos to dominate the headlines all day. (It's already been taken off as a headline and moved lower down on their page). I'm disgusted at the BBC for choosing to allow those photos to dominate the headlines on screen, while not giving proper coverage to the astronauts returning to Earth after six months in space - and for allowing the news of Europe's historic day to take a back seat over unsubstantiated photos that are bound to affect the morale, safety, security - and in turn the lives - of all coalition personnel currently serving in Iraq.

Update Sunday 7.30am: By this morning, BBC News online had updated the above link and moved it back up into the headlines. They've changed the photo. The one used last night for the same report showed a fully clothed and hooded male detainee. It's been replaced with a photo they'd already used a day or two ago. It shows less identifying details of a person in army fatigues standing over a partially clothed female detainee.

Update Sunday 6.45pm: They've kept the story all day today as a headline at the top of the page. But they've changed the photo (see link) yet again. Who knows, maybe their readers have complained. At least the Iraqi detainee now being paraded by the BBC is more fully clothed.
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BLOGGER DANIEL IN ESTONIA
Sees through the BBC's slanted reporting

Even Daniel in Estonia is wise to the BBC's slanted reporting on Iraq. Here's what he says, quote:

Now for the BBC. The story says this:

The graphic images include one of a hooded and naked prisoner standing on a box with wires attached to his genitals. CBS said the prisoner was told that if he fell off the box, he would be electrocuted. The video report says the same, only genitals are replaced by hands. Which is it?

And at the end, they say "how will it be received here, in the streets of Iraq" while showing pictures from what appeared to be the ambush at Fallujah, with a screaming crowd and burning trucks. That's what the BBC wants its viewers to think "the streets of Iraq" look like.