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From: danny burstein <dannyb@panix.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv
Subject: updating, was: regarding CNN correspondent Clarissa Ward (fwd)
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2024 03:38:26 -0000 (UTC)
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC
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[updating with CNN's response at end.
 summary:  yeah, they were probably bamboozled]

>yeah, it's a political story.  But pretty much anything
>in the news is going to be.

>So if you get the vapours, now's your chance to close
>your eyelids.

>          =======
>Earlier this month, Ms. Ward broadcast (via CNN) video of
>her entering the Syrian prison which had just been liberated
>by the, umm, well, the new folk in town.

>She showed her and her crew/New Folk finding a locked cell
>door with a crumpled blanket inside.  Thinking there might
>be someone (or a body) under it, the armed folk with her
>"shot the lock off" [a[.  They entered, and found a person
>under the blanket.

>[a]  off camera..

>Male, looked to be about 35 (hard to tell), loosely clothed.

>They were able to walk him out and Ms. Ward translated
>the Arabic, more or less saying "he says he's been
>in this windowless, solitary cell, for three months,
>hasn't had anything to eat or drink for a week",

>and then when they got him outside, he looked up at the
>sun and said (again, translated, and more or less
>via memory) thank god for this  I thought I'd never
>see the sun again...

>Now... lots of Anti CNN folk have pointed out problems
>with this, basically that he sure looked good for someone
>who hasn't eaten in a week and damn good for someone
>who hasn't been in sunlight for months.

>typical:

>"Imagine that. CNN there on the scene to capture this on camera.
>  Ps. If you ever saw someone left without food or water or light
>  for days they don't look this healthy."

>https://x.com/cnnipr/status/1866986427159830708
>        =====
>and then there's this:

>The alleged prisoner who was found by @CNN reporter @clarissaward in Damascus 
>is Salama Mohammad Salama, he's a junior officer at Assad intelligence, his 
>office was in Albayyada in my city Homs. He used to blackmail the families to 
>make money of their kids.
>         =========
>https://x.com/AsaadHannaa/status/1868296770696187943

>My gut feeling is he was one of Assad's folk and figured he'd hide
>and try to blend in with the prisoners, and that Ms. Ward fell
>for his act.

>Anyone bump into any definitive reports, or for that matter,
>an official response one way or another by CNN?

>Thanks
          ==========
CNN response.  Note this was a screenshot which I've transcribed:


"No one other than the CNN team was aware of our plans to visit the 
prison building featured in our report that day. The events transpired 
as they appear in our film. The decision to release the prisoner 
featured in our report was taken by the guard-a Syrian rebel. 

"We reported the scene as it unfolded, including what the prisoner 
told us, with clear attribution. We have subsequently been investigating 
his background and are aware that he may have given a false identity. 

"We are continuing our reporting into this and the wider story."

-- 
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
		     dannyb@panix.com 
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]