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Echoes of Patty Hearst in Islamic State ‘Report’ From Kobani Anchored by Hostage Echoes of Patty Hearst in Kobani
(35 minutes later)
A propaganda video released on Monday by Islamic State militants in Syria, recorded in the besieged city of Kobani and narrated by a hostage, has forced news organizations to grapple once again with the ethical question of whether to broadcast material produced by kidnappers.A propaganda video released on Monday by Islamic State militants in Syria, recorded in the besieged city of Kobani and narrated by a hostage, has forced news organizations to grapple once again with the ethical question of whether to broadcast material produced by kidnappers.
What made that decision particularly difficult was that the militants’ video was produced in the form of a news report, narrated by a British hostage, John Cantlie, who speaks directly to the camera in the familiar style of a war correspondent.What made that decision particularly difficult was that the militants’ video was produced in the form of a news report, narrated by a British hostage, John Cantlie, who speaks directly to the camera in the familiar style of a war correspondent.
Standing on a rooftop near the Turkish border during a lull in the fighting, Mr. Cantlie, a captive photojournalist, presents a diatribe against fellow journalists, claiming that specific Western news media accounts of the battle for Kobani were inaccurate. In a particularly perverse passage, he tells viewers that despite what they might have heard about the success of the Kurdish defenders of the town, backed by international airstrikes, the only fighters he has seen in the city are Islamic State militants.Standing on a rooftop near the Turkish border during a lull in the fighting, Mr. Cantlie, a captive photojournalist, presents a diatribe against fellow journalists, claiming that specific Western news media accounts of the battle for Kobani were inaccurate. In a particularly perverse passage, he tells viewers that despite what they might have heard about the success of the Kurdish defenders of the town, backed by international airstrikes, the only fighters he has seen in the city are Islamic State militants.
Despite the obvious news value of seeing Kobani from behind Islamist lines, many journalists instinctively recoiled from the prospect of following the instructions of the militants by downloading the full video report from the Internet and broadcasting it, either on the air or online.Despite the obvious news value of seeing Kobani from behind Islamist lines, many journalists instinctively recoiled from the prospect of following the instructions of the militants by downloading the full video report from the Internet and broadcasting it, either on the air or online.
It is a dilemma that in many ways echoes that faced by American broadcasters 40 years ago, when militants calling themselves the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped the heiress Patty Hearst and released audio recordings in which she eventually began to voice support for the cause of those who had seized her.It is a dilemma that in many ways echoes that faced by American broadcasters 40 years ago, when militants calling themselves the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped the heiress Patty Hearst and released audio recordings in which she eventually began to voice support for the cause of those who had seized her.
Given that Mr. Cantlie, who has been held hostage since 2012, is under obvious duress, some of his colleagues suggested that it would be more appropriate to deny his kidnappers the oxygen of publicity, by pressing to have the video removed from the Internet, than to show any part of the faux news report to viewers.Given that Mr. Cantlie, who has been held hostage since 2012, is under obvious duress, some of his colleagues suggested that it would be more appropriate to deny his kidnappers the oxygen of publicity, by pressing to have the video removed from the Internet, than to show any part of the faux news report to viewers.
(Within 24 hours, many copies of the video were indeed removed from YouTube.)(Within 24 hours, many copies of the video were indeed removed from YouTube.)
Other journalists argued that it was unfair to Mr. Cantlie to describe his participation in the video as “reporting.”Other journalists argued that it was unfair to Mr. Cantlie to describe his participation in the video as “reporting.”
Although a minority of voices on social networks have accused Mr. Cantlie of treason for arguing the militants’ case, and one British official suggested to The Daily Beast that he might be suffering from Stockholm syndrome, in which captives come to empathize with their captors, there is a large reservoir of sympathy for his plight, particularly from journalists who have reported from conflict zones.Although a minority of voices on social networks have accused Mr. Cantlie of treason for arguing the militants’ case, and one British official suggested to The Daily Beast that he might be suffering from Stockholm syndrome, in which captives come to empathize with their captors, there is a large reservoir of sympathy for his plight, particularly from journalists who have reported from conflict zones.
While Mr. Cantlie’s state of mind can only be guessed at, in remarks attributed to him in the latest issue of the Islamic State’s online magazine he says he is well aware that four of his cellmates — including James Foley, the American reporter he was captured with — have been executed in recent weeks.While Mr. Cantlie’s state of mind can only be guessed at, in remarks attributed to him in the latest issue of the Islamic State’s online magazine he says he is well aware that four of his cellmates — including James Foley, the American reporter he was captured with — have been executed in recent weeks.
“I’ve had to watch as James, Steven Sotloff, David Haines and Alan Henning walked out of the door,” the militant publication quotes Mr. Cantlie as saying, “one every two weeks since Aug. 18, never to return, knowing they were going to their deaths. What does that do to a man?”“I’ve had to watch as James, Steven Sotloff, David Haines and Alan Henning walked out of the door,” the militant publication quotes Mr. Cantlie as saying, “one every two weeks since Aug. 18, never to return, knowing they were going to their deaths. What does that do to a man?”
Given that, his situation seems far closer to what Ms. Hearst endured than to, say, that of Ezra Pound, the American poet who volunteered to write and present anti-Semitic radio diatribes defending Fascist Italy during World War II.Given that, his situation seems far closer to what Ms. Hearst endured than to, say, that of Ezra Pound, the American poet who volunteered to write and present anti-Semitic radio diatribes defending Fascist Italy during World War II.
After weeks of coverage of the struggle for Kobani dominated by dramatic video of airstrikes hitting Islamist positions, seen from nearby hilltops in Turkey, the militants’ video was striking in large part because of how quiet the city seemed.After weeks of coverage of the struggle for Kobani dominated by dramatic video of airstrikes hitting Islamist positions, seen from nearby hilltops in Turkey, the militants’ video was striking in large part because of how quiet the city seemed.
That made some viewers wonder if the footage of Mr. Cantlie might have been manipulated, or even created digitally out of whole cloth.That made some viewers wonder if the footage of Mr. Cantlie might have been manipulated, or even created digitally out of whole cloth.
However, Harald Doornbos, a Dutch reporter who has been observing the battle for Kobani from across the Turkish border, confirmed that there were lulls in the fighting.However, Harald Doornbos, a Dutch reporter who has been observing the battle for Kobani from across the Turkish border, confirmed that there were lulls in the fighting.
Other close observers noted that one Kobani landmark visible in the Islamic State’s footage, a silver silo bearing a Turkish flag, could be clearly seen from Turkey.Other close observers noted that one Kobani landmark visible in the Islamic State’s footage, a silver silo bearing a Turkish flag, could be clearly seen from Turkey.
That there are spells of eerie quiet in the town was also confirmed by video posted on YouTube this week by Kurdish activists and footage recorded by a local journalist obtained by Al Aan, a Dubai television channel.That there are spells of eerie quiet in the town was also confirmed by video posted on YouTube this week by Kurdish activists and footage recorded by a local journalist obtained by Al Aan, a Dubai television channel.
A distinctive water tower seen in the Islamic State report at one stage also looks very similar to one seen in video of Kobani recorded just before the fighting started that was provided to The Guardian by a resident who escaped across the border to Turkey.A distinctive water tower seen in the Islamic State report at one stage also looks very similar to one seen in video of Kobani recorded just before the fighting started that was provided to The Guardian by a resident who escaped across the border to Turkey.