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Old 08-02-2005, 18:09   #1
Roguish Lawyer
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ABC Banned From Russia for Interviewing Terrorist

Interesting approach . . .

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe...eut/index.html

Basayev interview: Russia bars ABC

Tuesday, August 2, 2005; Posted: 2:13 p.m. EDT (18:13 GMT)

MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Moscow is barring journalists from U.S. television channel ABC from working in Russia after the channel broadcast an interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Accreditations for ABC's reporters would not be renewed and, in the meantime, they would be banned from talking to Russian officials, it said.

Free speech advocates have repeatedly criticized President Vladimir Putin's government for restricting the Russian press, but this appeared to be the first action against a major Western media organization.

"ABC is now unwelcome to contact any Russian state organizations or bodies," a Foreign Ministry statement said.

It said broadcasting the Basayev interview "was a clear case of helping to propagandize terrorism" and accreditations for ABC workers would "not be renewed".

There was no immediate U.S. reaction, but one official, who asked not to be named, said banning ABC journalists "would obviously be a concern".

ABC was not immediately available for comment.

The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists said: "This action reflects the Kremlin's growing intolerance of any kind of criticism, especially in regard to its actions in Chechnya."

CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper's statement said Russia was "clearly trying to intimidate foreign journalists into censoring their news reporting on the war in Chechnya. We call on the (foreign) ministry to reverse its decision immediately."

Russia outraged
Russia was outraged by the interview with Basayev, who is its most wanted man and organized the bloodiest attacks of the 10-year Chechen war. Moscow summoned the U.S. envoy to complain after it was broadcast last week.

In the interview, Basayev admitted to being "a bad guy, a bandit, a terrorist" but said Russia was worse. He promised more attacks as long as the Chechen war continued.

The Foreign Ministry said it would also look into the legal status of journalist Andrei Babitsky, who conducted the interview, and would ask his employer Radio Liberty to explain why he was in Chechnya without accreditation.

Babitsky, whose reporting has been a thorn in the side of the Russian army in Chechnya, said the fierce reaction to the interview was prompted by shame over the authorities not being able to find Basayev themselves.

"The security services are embarrassed because they have spent vast sums over six years but they still can't catch Basayev, and here he is talking to a journalist... this shows how ineffectively they are working," said Babitsky.

He told Reuters by telephone: "This is fantastic, this just shows the state of free speech in Russia today."

Security services put a $10 million price on Basayev's head after the Beslan hostage siege when 330 people -- half of them children -- died, but have failed to catch the warlord.

Basayev has claimed responsibility for orchestrating the Beslan attack.

Journalists need special accreditation to visit Chechnya, and foreign news organizations must travel with armed guards.
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Old 08-02-2005, 18:28   #2
tyrsnbdr
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What would happen to a journalist, from any country, if they interviewed OBL? They would be banned (or fired and never work again) too.
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Old 08-02-2005, 18:37   #3
jbour13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tyrsnbdr
What would happen to a journalist, from any country, if they interviewed OBL? They would be banned (or fired and never work again) too.
Pre 9/11 UBL/ OBL was interviewed by John Miller in May of 1998 (2 months prior to the embassy bombings).

Dan Rather spoke with Saddam on 24 Feb 2003. This had little to no negative effect on his career. As you can see he was ousted for the whole "Memogate" scandal, but hardly for that interview.

There have been numerous interviews around the world with terrorist masterminds and supporters of terrorism. It's all just a popularity contest on both sides. Terrorists want their word out in the mainstream and the interviewers want the same thing.

It just seems that Russia has had it's panties forcefully bunched up by an outsider and is conducting damage control.

My .02
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Old 08-02-2005, 18:49   #4
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We need to get on that program...
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

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Old 08-02-2005, 20:48   #5
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Old 08-02-2005, 20:52   #6
NousDefionsDoc
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DoctorDoom
Why? Is OBL fighting for independence of a portion of a country that has been trying to quash his rebellion with draconian measure with limited success? Which country exactly would be banning John Miller? I don't think you comparison works.
Are you siding with those Chechnyan assholes?
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
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Old 08-02-2005, 21:10   #7
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Old 08-02-2005, 21:12   #8
NousDefionsDoc
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Ok, just checking.
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
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