NPR

Last week – nearly ten months after the broadcast – the ECU delivered its finding that the BBC was wrong to insinuate that 'Alex' was motivated to go public about his doubts over the attack by the prospect of a $100,000 (£72,000) reward from the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.

No such reward was ever paid, according to WikiLeaks.

The BBC also accepted it had no evidence to back up its claim that 'Alex', a highly qualified and apolitical scientist, believed the attack in Douma, which prompted retaliatory missile strikes by Britain, the US and France, had been staged.

In its ruling, the Corporation withdrew the imputation that Mr Hitchens, who has reported on despotic regimes for more than 40 years, shared 'the Russian and Syrian state views on the war'.

Lemoentjie wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:41 pm Finally one of the biggest hoaxes of all time is being revealed. The anti-Assad, anti-Russia Western elites have been exposed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... chens.html

Last week – nearly ten months after the broadcast – the ECU delivered its finding that the BBC was wrong to insinuate that 'Alex' was motivated to go public about his doubts over the attack by the prospect of a $100,000 (£72,000) reward from the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.

No such reward was ever paid, according to WikiLeaks.

The BBC also accepted it had no evidence to back up its claim that 'Alex', a highly qualified and apolitical scientist, believed the attack in Douma, which prompted retaliatory missile strikes by Britain, the US and France, had been staged.

In its ruling, the Corporation withdrew the imputation that Mr Hitchens, who has reported on despotic regimes for more than 40 years, shared 'the Russian and Syrian state views on the war'.

OPCW whistleblowers are heroes.

At least the yanks and poms got to fire their shiny new toys at Syrian families though, that's what really matters

Raggs wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:50 pm

Lemoentjie wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:41 pm Finally one of the biggest hoaxes of all time is being revealed. The anti-Assad, anti-Russia Western elites have been exposed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... chens.html

Last week – nearly ten months after the broadcast – the ECU delivered its finding that the BBC was wrong to insinuate that 'Alex' was motivated to go public about his doubts over the attack by the prospect of a $100,000 (£72,000) reward from the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.

No such reward was ever paid, according to WikiLeaks.

The BBC also accepted it had no evidence to back up its claim that 'Alex', a highly qualified and apolitical scientist, believed the attack in Douma, which prompted retaliatory missile strikes by Britain, the US and France, had been staged.

In its ruling, the Corporation withdrew the imputation that Mr Hitchens, who has reported on despotic regimes for more than 40 years, shared 'the Russian and Syrian state views on the war'.

OPCW whistleblowers are heroes.

At least the yanks and poms got to fire their shiny new toys at Syrian families though, that's what really matters

Can you clarify something for me? I'm a bit confused.

It seems to state that the BBC were wrong to suggest Alex said that the attack was staged. Meaning Alex doesn't think it was staged. Whereas the Syrians and Russians claimed that it was.

The USA and UK attacked the Syrian government, at least in part, because of these chemical attacks.

Unless I'm reading this wrong, surely this just helps the USA/UK etc justification, rather than harms it?

The journalist Peter Hitchens complained that the programme had been inaccurate in insinuating that Alex’s disclosures had been motivated by a reward of $100,000 offered by WikiLeaks, that he believed the attack had been staged, and that he had made his views known only through “a select few journalists who share the Russian and Syrian state views on the war”

Lemoentjie wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 3:25 pm

Raggs wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:50 pm

Lemoentjie wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 2:41 pm Finally one of the biggest hoaxes of all time is being revealed. The anti-Assad, anti-Russia Western elites have been exposed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... chens.html





OPCW whistleblowers are heroes.

At least the yanks and poms got to fire their shiny new toys at Syrian families though, that's what really matters

Can you clarify something for me? I'm a bit confused.

It seems to state that the BBC were wrong to suggest Alex said that the attack was staged. Meaning Alex doesn't think it was staged. Whereas the Syrians and Russians claimed that it was.

The USA and UK attacked the Syrian government, at least in part, because of these chemical attacks.

Unless I'm reading this wrong, surely this just helps the USA/UK etc justification, rather than harms it?

I think it's an error. If you look at the source BBC statement, it says:

The journalist Peter Hitchens complained that the programme had been inaccurate in insinuating that Alex’s disclosures had been motivated by a reward of $100,000 offered by WikiLeaks, that he believed the attack had been staged, and that he had made his views known only through “a select few journalists who share the Russian and Syrian state views on the war”

Staged isn't the same as didn't happen. And even if he believes it was staged, you can't state that without providing evidence.

Ymx wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 4:28 pm I think you would enjoy PR alongside Dozy.

Lemoentjie wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 3:38 pmThey were not used in the Douma attack

Lemoentjie wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 3:38 pm It should not matter in this case that Assad regime used chemical weapons in other cases, it is irrelevant.

Lemoentjie wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 3:38 pm Alex was an apolitical scientist, meaning he there to purely report the facts (which by the way, were that no sarin or chlorine were found). Claiming that he said the attack was staged is a way of trying to undermine his apolitical-ness. That would be a pretty clear motivation.

In any case, even if you believe the 'attacks' happened, the UK/US/France fired missiles before even waiting for the OPCW report, and without UNSC authorisation. Literal war criminals.

Assad has used chemical weapons at some points. They were not used in the Douma attack, and it is very worrying that an international organisation 'found' that they had, in order to post-justify the Western slaughter of civilians. It should not matter in this case that Assad regime used chemical weapons in other cases, it is irrelevant.