More Fake Videos Emerge

25 05 2004
Al Jazeera Pan-Arab News Service -Qatar
Lawrence Bigman

Two more faked abuse and execution videos produced by the CIA to
discredit Iraqis have been found.

In the first video CIA officers dressed like members of former
security services in Iraq are seen beating supposed prisoners
unconscious. In the second one the same CIA officers, this time
dressed like some other officers of the former regime, tape up
granades on the supposed prisoners' bodies and blow them up.

Medical experts disagree that the prisoners were subject to punishment
in the first video. Pointing at the lack of any marks on the bodies of
the seemingly beaten up "prisoners", one expert said "they must have
used feathers to beat them up"

There are unanswered questions on the authenticity of the second video
as well. Bloggers and internet surfers doubt that the grenades that
are seemingly being taped on the prisoners are real. One chat room
member said, "you see a blindfolded man in the field. There is an
explosion and dust cloud and the man is not there anymore.

A grenade
cannot vaporise a body completely. You don't see any remains of a body
where that prisoner was supposed to be. You don't see any blood. It is
fake."

The bad quality of the videos is thought to be deliberate

in order to
provide a look of authenticity and hide obvious difficulties with
reenacting a real event. Similar doubts had also been raised about the
video showing Nicholas Berg being beheaded.

Most people Al Jazeera spoke to have expressed anger and dismay that
the USA could go so low as to completely fabricate evidence in order
to divert attention from the difficulties facing the occupation
authorities in Iraq and the human rights abuses committed in Abu
Ghraib prison since the occupation began. There have been unconfirmed
reports of more videos of supposedly even worse abuse by the members
of the former regime but thus far none has been released.

A high ranking Arab league official, who wished to remain anonymous,
said "These videos show yet again that the USA would do anything to
fulfil its imperialist designs in the region".

No US official was available for comment on the record but it is
understood that an internal inquiry has been launched to find those
responsible for staging the events. "This scandal is just about the
last thing we needed with our stock already so low in the Arab
street", said a US official who did not wish to be named.

The fake videos can be seen at:

http://www.sotaliraq.com/prisoners-abuse.html
http://www.sotaliraq.com/id/executed-grenade.html

More Fake Videos Emerge

25 05 2004
Al Jazeera Pan-Arab News Service -Qatar
Lawrence Bigman

Two more faked abuse and execution videos produced by the CIA to
discredit Iraqis have been found.

In the first video CIA officers dressed like members of former
security services in Iraq are seen beating supposed prisoners
unconscious. In the second one the same CIA officers, this time
dressed like some other officers of the former regime, tape up
granades on the supposed prisoners' bodies and blow them up.

Medical experts disagree that the prisoners were subject to punishment
in the first video. Pointing at the lack of any marks on the bodies of
the seemingly beaten up "prisoners", one expert said "they must have
used feathers to beat them up"

There are unanswered questions on the authenticity of the second video
as well. Bloggers and internet surfers doubt that the grenades that
are seemingly being taped on the prisoners are real. One chat room
member said, "you see a blindfolded man in the field. There is an
explosion and dust cloud and the man is not there anymore. A grenade
cannot vaporise a body completely. You don't see any remains of a body
where that prisoner was supposed to be. You don't see any blood. It is
fake."

The bad quality of the videos is thought to be deliberate in order to
provide a look of authenticity and hide obvious difficulties with
reenacting a real event. Similar doubts had also been raised about the
video showing Nicholas Berg being beheaded.

Most people Al Jazeera spoke to have expressed anger and dismay that
the USA could go so low as to completely fabricate evidence in order
to divert attention from the difficulties facing the occupation
authorities in Iraq and the human rights abuses committed in Abu
Ghraib prison since the occupation began. There have been unconfirmed
reports of more videos of supposedly even worse abuse by the members
of the former regime but thus far none has been released.

A high ranking Arab league official, who wished to remain anonymous,
said "These videos show yet again that the USA would do anything to
fulfil its imperialist designs in the region".

No US official was available for comment on the record but it is
understood that an internal inquiry has been launched to find those
responsible for staging the events. "This scandal is just about the
last thing we needed with our stock already so low in the Arab
street", said a US official who did not wish to be named.

The fake videos can be seen at:

http://www.sotaliraq.com/prisoners-abuse.html
http://www.sotaliraq.com/id/executed-grenade.html