Iraq - British Terror Suspects Held

That's my headline.

The Guardian headline is more provocative. Their headline is designed to generate anger in the British public against America. Here is how the Guardian headline their story:

Two Britons held in Iraq

The public know that anyone being held in Iraq is being held by America. By leaving out the terrorist aspect, the Guardian knows that anyone just skimming the headline will immediately feel resentment towards America.

But just in case the public actually read the story, the Guardian has that covered to.

The first, believed to be a 25-year-old passport holder born in Pakistan, was detained last month in the rebel stronghold of Ramadi, in the west of Iraq, during an episode in which US marines closed in on a group of suspected militants caught moving weaponry around the western Iraqi city.

A firefight broke out and a number of people were detained.

The Briton told his captors he was a peace worker and was not involved in violent activities. Though unarmed, he was found to have traces of explosives on his hands. His explanation that he had moved some weapons to find space to sleep was not believed.

The Guardian tells us he is a passport holder, presumedly British. As if that should be the end of the matter. "You can't touch me and you have to believe me, I'm a British passport holder".

And how is someone who is "caught moving weaponry around" merely a "suspected militant" [terrorist]?

Notice how the Guardian try and defend this guy. Hey, he told them he was a peace worker and not involved in violent activities, even though he was caught with this group of terrorists moving weapons. I'm sure the terrorists don't mind who know where they are moving weapons to or from.

I like the "though unarmed" part. This group was just in a firefight with US Marines and lost. Would you still be holding a weapon in these circumstances? I think not.

But the last line of that paragraph is absolutely priceless and worth repeating.

His explanation that he had moved some weapons to find space to sleep was not believed.

So you're tired and want some sleep, better so do some hard work first and move all these weapons out of the way so you can lie down. Incredulously, his story was not believed.

He should have used a better excuse like one from Cheech and Chong. He could have said he had merely found these weapons and was on his way to turn them in at the time of his arrest.
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