{"id":42390,"date":"2026-03-30T06:24:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T06:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/42390\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T06:24:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T06:24:07","slug":"bbc-narrative-on-terror-linked-journalists-moves-to-lebanon-camera-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/42390\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC narrative on terror linked journalists moves to Lebanon < CAMERA UK"},"content":{"rendered":"

BBC promotion of the narrative<\/a> that Israel targets journalists did not begin<\/a> after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7th 2023 but it has certainly dramatically increased since then.<\/p>\n

Throughout the past two-and-a-half years, we have repeatedly raised concerns about the disinterest of BBC journalists in denouncing the exploitation of their profession by terrorists or in drawing a line between legitimate media organisations and those that knowingly employ terror operatives and promote the agendas of terrorist groups.<\/p>\n

Time and time again the BBC has queried, downplayed<\/a> or disregarded<\/a> evidence<\/a> of journalists\u2019 affiliations<\/a> with terrorist organisations<\/a> while completely ignoring research<\/a> on the topic by organisations or individuals<\/a>. Concurrently, the BBC has repeatedly amplified<\/a> claims from bodies such as the\u00a0Foreign Press Association<\/a>\u00a0(FPA<\/a>) and the\u00a0Committee to Protect Journalists<\/a>\u00a0(CPJ<\/a>) and has even participated<\/a> in related publicity campaigns.<\/p>\n

On the afternoon of March 28th, news broke of a strike on a vehicle near the town of Jezzine<\/a> in Lebanon. Shortly afterwards the IDF confirmed<\/a> that it had struck<\/a> a journalist by the name of Ali Hassan Shaib \u2013 also Ali Shoeib \u2013 working for the Hizballah-owned (and US designated<\/a>) media outlet Al Manar<\/a>. Two journalists working for another Hizballah-affiliated<\/a> outlet \u2013 Al Mayadeen<\/a> \u2013 were in the same vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to the IDF, Shoeib was an operative in the Radwan Force\u2019s intelligence unit while also working as a journalist for the Hezbollah-linked Al-Manar TV channel.<\/p>\n

The IDF says Shoeib \u201cserved as a terrorist in the Hezbollah terror organization under the guise of a journalist for the Al-Manar network, while consistently working to expose the locations of IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon and along the border, and maintained continuous contact with other terrorists in the Radwan Force unit in particular and within the terror organization in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the ongoing war with Iran, Shoeib \u201ccontinued his activities and reported on the locations of IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon,\u201d the IDF says.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hours after that IDF confirmation had been issued, the BBC News website published<\/a> a report by Hugo Bachega<\/a> and Samantha Granville<\/a> headlined \u201cTears and defiance as Lebanese family bury child, 11, killed in Israeli strike<\/a>\u201d in which readers are told that: [emphasis added]\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOn Saturday, three Lebanese journalists were killed in a targeted Israeli strike on their media vehicle, their employers said.<\/p>\n

Ali Shoeib, a well-known correspondent for Al Manar TV, a station affiliated with Hezbollah, was killed alongside reporter Fatima Ftouni and cameraman Mohamed Ftouni from the channel Al Mayadeen, according to the stations.<\/p>\n

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it had killed Shoeib, describing him as a \u201cterrorist\u201d from Iranian-backed Hezbollah\u2019s elite Radwan Force who had \u201coperated for years under the guise of a journalist\u201d.<\/p>\n

The IDF provided no evidence to support its claim that Shoeib had a military role. It did not comment on the deaths of Fatima or Mohamed Ftouni.<\/p>\n

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the strike a \u201cbrazen crime\u201d that violated all norms under which journalists should be protected during war.<\/p>\n

The Committee to Protect Journalists has previously accused Israel of repeatedly killing media professionals while alleging they were militants without providing credible evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later on the evening of March 28th, the BBC News website published a report credited to Lina Sinjab<\/a> and Maia Davies<\/a> titled \u201cThree Lebanese journalists killed in Israeli strike, say broadcasters<\/a>\u201d.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it had killed Shoeib, describing him as a \u201cterrorist\u201d from Iranian-backed Hezbollah\u2019s elite Radwan Force who had \u201coperated for years under the guise of a journalist\u201d.<\/p>\n

It said he had worked to \u201cexpose the locations of IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon and along the border\u201d, including during the current fighting, and had used his position \u201cto disseminate Hezbollah propaganda materials\u201d.<\/p>\n

The IDF provided no evidence to support its claim that Shoeib had a military role. It did not comment on the deaths of Fatima or Mohamed Ftouni.<\/p>\n

Hezbollah denounced the strike as the \u201cdeliberate criminal targeting of journalists\u201d.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of Hizballah\u2019s related statements can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While all four of those BBC journalists promoted the claim<\/a> that \u201cthe IDF provided no evidence\u201d \u2013 (and even though in the past the BBC has chosen to ignore such evidence<\/a> when presented), they displayed remarkably little journalistic curiosity regarding the record of Ali Shoeib<\/a>. As reported<\/a> by the Times of Israel:<\/p>\n

\u201cFor years Shoeib had been\u00a0broadcasting<\/a>\u00a0from the border with Israel, at times\u00a0taunting<\/a>\u00a0Israeli troops.<\/p>\n

In January 2024, Shoeib published a post on X threatening Eitan Davidi, the leader of the Israeli border community of Margaliot. The post included footage showing a Hezbollah operative aiming a gun at Davidi\u2019s home from across the border.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shoeib\u2019s threats against Eitan Davidi were reported<\/a> at the time and his practice<\/a> of informing Hizballah<\/a> of the locations of IDF troops<\/a> has also long been documented<\/a>. Shoeib\u2019s name has appeared in court cases<\/a> in Israel relating to the transfer of information to Hizballah. Had the BBC journalists looked, they might also have found the photographs of Shoeib with figures such as Qassem Soleimani<\/a> and a Radwan Force commander<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Basic research would also have led to BBC journalists being aware of Fatima Ftouni\u2019s support for the Assad regime\u2019s atrocities<\/a>, her glorification of Hassan Nasrallah and participation<\/a> in a Hizballah social media campaign as well as her cheering<\/a> of the October 7th Hamas massacre.<\/p>\n

Such background information would no doubt have helped BBC audiences better understand a statement<\/a> from the IDF put out on the morning<\/a> of March 29th.<\/p>\n

\u201cIDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin explained why Al-Manar journalist Ali Shoeib was eliminated. Defrin stated that \u201cShoeib was officially recruited as a member of Hezbollah\u2019s military wing in 2020, but in practice has been collaborating with the terror organization since 2013. His role in the intelligence unit was to photograph intelligence information and transfer it to the Radwan Force \u2013 under the guise of a journalist.\u201d He added: \u201cShoeib\u2019s activity of exposing IDF force locations posed a real threat to the lives of our forces in southern Lebanon.\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n

The danger posed by Shoeib to IDF troops operating in Lebanon since Hizballah chose to join the current war is not, however, the story that the BBC wants to tell. The corporation\u2019s chosen framing of the story is portrayed as follows in the report by Sinjab and Davies:<\/p>\n

\u201cMany in Lebanon are worried Israel is using similar tactics it has been accused of deploying in Gaza \u2013 including the deliberate targeting of civilians, journalists and paramedics, which Israel denies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similar framing is found in social media<\/a> posts<\/a> (and reposts<\/a>) from BBC journalists:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When media and advocacy organisations<\/a> serially fail to challenge those who exploit the profession<\/a> for the purposes of terrorism, they undermine<\/a> its very foundations and compromise public trust in journalism in general. Adopting that stance in order to advance one of the narratives that is the foundation for the chosen framing of particular conflicts is especially damaging to BBC credibility but as we see, the corporation continues to embrace that editorial policy.<\/p>\n

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