John Cantlie, the British journalist held by Daesh, has produced another propaganda video.
Intended to show that life is carrying on as normal in the Jihadist controlled city of Mosul, it is produced in the the style of a television travelogue akin to those used on holiday programmes, The Telegraph reported.
Cantlie’s eight-minute long portrayal of Iraq’s second largest city strives to dispute reports of a population living in fear.
The journalist was kidnapped along with James Foley, an American photographer in November 2012.
But unlike Foley – and six other westerners captured by Daesh and its Algerian offshoot – Cantlie was not beheaded.
Instead the Jihadist group has used Cantlie’s professional skills to promote its case in a slick series of videos.
In the first four Daesh videos, Cantlie was filmed sitting at a desk wearing the same orange jump suit as the prisoners who were beheaded. In the fifth he was photographed parading around the city of Kobane.
In this latest production – “Inside Mosul” – he is filmed as a roving reporter, even driving himself in one shot and riding a powerful motorbike in another.
“Today we’re on top of the world, overlooking Mosul the second largest city in Iraq and under the complete control of (Daesh) for over five months,” he says as he prepares to showcase the metropolis of two million people.
Wearing ordinary casual clothes, he goes on: “One is struck by how normal and crazy and busy everything is.
“It is not a city living in fear as the western media would have you believe.”
He disputes a report in the Guardian of daily power cuts as he visits the city’s Souk, enthusiastically pointing out the flashing neon and bright lights.
“This is not an empty deserted place at all, it is bustling,” he adds.
“I can see thousands of people, thousands of Iraqis going about their daily business in Mosul after years of oppression under Saddam’s rule and the descent into chaos after the American intervention.”
Visiting a hospital, he says that doctors are getting the medicine they need before going to a children’s ward where children are being treated for psychiatric problems caused, Cantlie adds, by the bombing.
Dismissing reports that law and order had broken down because the police had fled, Cantlie rides a police motorbike, with an officer seated behind him.
“It seems as if the police are redundant, despite having a very firm presence. There is very little crime here in Mosul
GMT 08:51 2018 Tuesday ,11 December
Reuters reporters clock up one year in detention in Myanmar prisonGMT 16:48 2018 Wednesday ,24 October
Erdogan, Saudi crown prince discuss Khashoggi caseGMT 12:32 2018 Tuesday ,23 October
British show double standards over Khashoggi's caseGMT 14:35 2018 Friday ,12 October
Bahrain's media history documentation hailedGMT 06:48 2018 Friday ,05 October
"Sanwar" Israeli journalist introduced herself as ItalianGMT 05:38 2018 Friday ,05 October
New round of "meddling and cyber attack" accusationsGMT 04:42 2018 Friday ,28 September
Iran mocked for billboard featuring Israeli soldiersGMT 05:08 2018 Thursday ,20 September
Mona Al Marri outlines essential qualities of successful journalistsMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor