Monday, April 05, 2004

Iraq unrest won't derail handover from The SCBBC

I'm actualy shocked the SCBBC didn't do a hatchet job with this one. Note the use of "unrest" instead of riot.

Reporting from the roof of the building, BBC correspondent Dumeetha Luthra said dozens of militants belonging to Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army moved into the governor's office at dawn on Monday.

She said they were chanting "No to America, we'll sacrifice ourselves to Sadr" and waving pictures of their leader.

Hundreds more protesters gathered outside the building.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman confirmed that the occupation had been peaceful and said talks were under way between the protesters and Iraqi officials.

On Monday, the US administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, outlawed the Mehdi Army saying the coalition would not tolerate an uprising.


Lots of chances here to spin the story. You do have to hunt for it though. It's buried under the political section, 3rd article down on the right.

This is the current headline on their main page.

Gunships swoop on Shia militiamen
Helicopter gunships attack a Shia district of Baghdad on the second day of violent protests.


"Unrest" has now, on the front page, become "violent protests". The buried article talks about "peaceful occupation"

You see, you really can have it both ways.

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