When does greed for having the best news story trump honesty, sanity and the safety of the British public? Well it seems that question should be posed to the BBC who not only gave money to an Islamic preacher who was radicalising & training muslim youths in the UK for jihad but also funded a paintball "fun" trip for the terrorists. To make matters worse even after the reporters AND BBC executives knew the identities of the 21/7 bombers - they felt more allegiance to the BBC and their own necks rather then give much needed information to the police.
Sure makes you want to take this BBC crew to a paintball game - doesn't it??!! Might even make for a good reality TV show for them - and -as we all know the BBC is what is really important.
ENTIRE ARTICLE - emphsise mine
BBC 'funded paintballing trip for Islamic terrorists and didn't pass on information about 21/7 bombers'
Last updated at 08:04am on 5th December 2007
The BBC funded a paintballing trip for men later accused of Islamic terrorism and didn't pass on information about the 21/7 bombers to police, a court heard yesterday.
The organisation gave Mohammed Hamid, an Islamic preacher accused of radicalising British Muslims, a £300 fee and paid for fellow defendants to go and be filmed for a documentary.
After the botched July attacks Hamid told a BBC reporter he had worked with on the programme 'Don't Panic, I', Islamic' that he knew the identities of the culprits - but she felt 'no obligation' to tell police, the court heard.
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BBC in hot water: As it is accused of giving Islamic preacher Mohammed Hamid, who is accused of radicalising British Muslims, £300 to be filmed
The journalist informed her boss and the information was passed on up to senior executives but a decision was taken not to pass it on.
The claims emerged during the trial of Mr Hamid who, along with four others, is accused of running a two-year radicalisation programme to groom London Muslims for jihad.
The court was told Mr Hamid was first approached by BBC researcher Nasreen Suleaman in late 2004 when she was making a documentary before the July 2005 attacks.
It was shown on June 12, 2005 on BBC2.
The BBC paid for Hamid, fellow defendants Mohammed Al Figari and Mousa Brown and others to go on a paintballing trip at the Delta Force centre in Tonbridge, Kent, in February 2005.
The court was told that July 21 bombers Ramzi Mohammed and Hussein Osman also went on a trip to the same centre before the 7/7 attacks. Ms Suleaman said she was unaware that they were on the trip.
Hamid, 50, told her he was going to use to the BBC's money to pay a fine imposed by magistrates after he was convicted of a public order offence alongside the man later exposed as the 21/7 ringleader, Muktar Said Ibrahim.
Ms Suleaman said she spoke to Hamid soon after the failed attacks on July 21 2005 and he sounded 'guarded' and 'worried'.
She claimed he had been shocked that he knew the accused and was worried they might call him as they were on the run.
Prosecuting barrister Duncan Penny asked her: 'Did you tell him to go to the police?'
Ms Suleaman replied: 'I don't think I needed to.'
Mr Penny said: 'Here was a man who told you that he knew those individuals who, as I understand it, were currently still at large for what on the face of it was the attempted bombings of the transport network a fortnight after it happened, and he was telling you he had some knowledge of them?
Ms Suleaman said: 'I got the sense that he was already talking to the police.' She added: 'I referred it to my immediate boss at the BBC. I wasn't told that there was an obligation.
'I obviously had to report back to my immediate manager at the BBC. In fact it was referred above her as well.
'It was such a big story. At one stage the head of news at the BBC was involved. No one at any stage said there was an obligation.'
Miss Suleaman also told Mr Penny, that Hamid, who she dubbed 'a documentary-maker's dream', was taken on a paintballing trip for the programme as a fun way of introducing him.
The court also heard from Ms Suleaman's former colleague Phil Rees, who produced Don't Panic, I'm Islamic. He told the court he was impressed by Hamid's sense of humour.
He said: 'I took it as more like a rather Steptoe and Son figure rather than seriously persuasive. I saw him as a kind of Cockney comic.'
Hamid is standing trial at Woolwich Crown Court with Kader Ahmed, 20, Al Figari, 42, Kibley Da Costa, 24, and Brown, 41.
Hamid denies proving weapons training, five charges of soliciting murder and three of providing training for terrorism. The others deny charges relating to training.
Atilla Ahmet, 43, has admitted soliciting murder.
The trial at Woolwich Crown Court continues.
I wouln't even be surprised if one day I learn that al-queia sympathizers are woking for BBC. I dont understand why British People and goverment are continuing the BBC the way it is
Posted by: sanjay kansara | December 07, 2007 at 08:46 PM
Welcome to my site Sanjay and you are correct that the BBC has lost its way - quite awhile ago in fact. Many British are sick of paying for the BBC only to have it feed them propaganda. Aiding the terrorists is the worst breech of public trust but yet it appears there will be no real consequences to the BBC for doing this.
Posted by: TheOPINIONATOR | December 08, 2007 at 06:43 AM