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On the day of the 7 July Inquests verdict, The Guardian, with their Orwellianly titled 'Comment is Free' 'discussion' forum, have deleted a short comment left on their live inquest verdict coverage thread by J7: The July 7th Truth Campaign.
A few pertinent points of fact: The work of J7: The July 7th Truth Campaign was referenced at the start of the inquest proceedings, at the end of inquest proceedings, and repeatedly throughout the course of the inquests, to the point that anomalies and questions highlighted by J7 were raised by counsels for the bereaved in the coroner's court. Furthermore, the work of J7 even formed the basis for a series of articles by Guardian journalist Shiv Malik on the subject of Mohammed Junaid Babar, the US State's star witness in every significant 'terrorist' trial in the last few years. J7's work has also been referenced by no less than the Guardian's assistant editor, Michael White, in a piece about UK complicity in torture. J7 were also featured in seven page Media Guardian spread, Seeing Isn't Believing, in June 2006. Oh, and J7 even penned a Comment is Free article.
A few pertinent points of fact: The work of J7: The July 7th Truth Campaign was referenced at the start of the inquest proceedings, at the end of inquest proceedings, and repeatedly throughout the course of the inquests, to the point that anomalies and questions highlighted by J7 were raised by counsels for the bereaved in the coroner's court. Furthermore, the work of J7 even formed the basis for a series of articles by Guardian journalist Shiv Malik on the subject of Mohammed Junaid Babar, the US State's star witness in every significant 'terrorist' trial in the last few years. J7's work has also been referenced by no less than the Guardian's assistant editor, Michael White, in a piece about UK complicity in torture. J7 were also featured in seven page Media Guardian spread, Seeing Isn't Believing, in June 2006. Oh, and J7 even penned a Comment is Free article.
The comment below was previously here.
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| The Disappeared |
Not only have The Guardian seen fit to delete the comment, they have also removed J7's account from their system.
"This user profile is not available."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/user/j7truthcampaign
Let us all be grateful for the freedom, democracy, freedom of speech, and all the other stuff regularly championed as the cherished way of life in our glorious land, even though it doesn't really exist.
9 comments:
Have you asked them for an explanation of what happened? Please do.
Hi Roger
Not yet, The Guardian were relatively low on the battle list today, but we will endeavour to obtain an explanation.
I'll post an update when there's something to report.
Please could you also get in touch with me by email when this happens.
Not sure I have an address for you so feel free to drop me a mail at antagonised [at] hotmail dot com.
This turned up in the mailbox... #1
Dear Sirs / Madams,
We write to request an explanation as to why a comment placed by J7: The July 7th Truth Campaign was deleted from the Comment is Free / News Blog article '7/7 Inquest verdict – live coverage'[1] of 6th May 2011.
Our comment appeared briefly (timed at 3.15pm) and was deleted within approximately half an hour. A copy of the comment has been archived[2], and the URL 'permanent link to this comment' provided.[3]. Owing to the impermanent nature of the permanent link to our comment, the URL supplied no longer works.
We are unhappy with the abject moderation of what we feel was a legitimate and valuable comment and contribution to an important debate regarding the July 7 Inquests, particularly as the comment did not appear to breach any of the 10 Simple Guidelines[4] published.
The work of J7 since the events of 7 July 2005 occurred has played an important role in the Inquest proceedings: Our campaign and work were both referenced at the start of the inquest proceedings, at the end of inquest proceedings, and repeatedly throughout the course of the inquests. Many of the anomalies and questions highlighted by J7 were even raised in the coroner's court by counsels acting on behalf of the bereaved families. Furthermore, the work of J7 has even formed the basis for a recent series of articles by Guardian journalist Shiv Malik on the subject of Mohammed Junaid Babar, the US State's star witness and Supergrass in every significant 'terrorist' trial of the 21st century. J7 were also featured in a seven page Media Guardian spread by Mark Honigsbaum, Seeing Isn't Believing, published in June 2006 and we have also authored an article for Comment is Free. J7's work has also been referenced by no less than the Guardian's Assistant Editor, Michael White, in a piece about the British State's complicity in torture[5].
This turned up in the mailbox... #2
The actions of your moderators and the removal of our comment has marred what has been welcome and extensive coverage of the 7 July inquests verdict announcements. Could you kindly explain:
1. Why our comment was deleted.
2. Why our comment profile has been removed.
We would suggest, as acceptable gestures of requital, that:
1. J7's comments are reinstated with immediate effect as they are not in breach of the 10 Simple Rules.
2. J7's user profile is accordingly reinstated with immediate effect.
3. We be offered the opportunity to compose another 'Comment is Free' article for publication and comment (see our previous article published in July 2006[7]).
We believe that the excellent Guardian CiF feature provides a valuable -- if somewhat heavily moderated -- forum where important topical debate can occur, all in the cherished spirit of democratic journalism and freedom of speech, etc.
Or have things changed at the Guardian?
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully,
J7: The July 7th Truth Campaign
::: References
1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/blog/2011/may/06/7-7-inquest-verdict-live-coverage
2. http://preview.tinyurl.com/5r5rv6l
3. http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/comment-permalink/10640026
4. http://www.guardian.co.uk/community-standards
5. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2009/jul/08/pakistan-terrorist-torture
6. http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/user/j7truthcampaign
7. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2006/jul/04/comment.july7
On the subject of comments deleted by 'comment is free' [to be deleted arbitrarily]:
....
WellWell
17 April 2012 3:58PM
Who is behind the rise of this network of the Far Right in Europe (and the US) that influenced Breivik? It is a question that demands deeper investigation.
Frank Gaffney, one of the founders of The Project for the New American Century (PNAC), is the head of a Neocon think tank called the Center for Security Policy (CSP), of which Christine Brim is Chief Operating Officer. On the advisory council of the CSP are fellow PNAC members, Douglas Feith and Richard Perle. Basically the CSP is a front for the same agenda as PNAC.
Brim founded a group called Center for Vigilant Freedom (CVF). The head of this group in the UK is Chris Knowles (aka Aeneas Lavinium). Accompanying Knowles while representing CVF at far-right gatherings across Europe was a woman under the alias of Dominique Devaux (also thought to be Gaia).
A Sunday Times investigation revealed Knowles and Gaia/Devaux were present at the founding meeting of the EDL. The Times has claimed Gaia is Ann Marchini, a buy-to-let property tycoon. Marchini's name also surfaced on a leaked list of EDL donors.
Marchini – who is also a friend and backer of Paul Weston, formerly of UKIP and now head of the British Freedom Party (BFP), a splinter group of the BNP – was present at the meeting where the BFP and the EDL formed their alliance.
The prominent figurehead who whipped up the outrage against the proposed Islamic Community Centre near the site of 9/11 (provocatively labelled by the right as the 'Ground Zero mosque') was free-market devotee and former financial journalist with the New York Daily News, Pamela Geller. Geller was lauded in the press by Caroline Glick, Deputy Managing Editor of The Jerusalem Post, and senior fellow of Middle East affairs at the CSP. Glick also served as assistant foreign policy advisor to Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Apparently, the registration of the website of the Coalition to Honor Ground Zero was traced to the CSP. The CSP also produced an ad for the Ground Zero Coalition against the 'mosque at Ground Zero.'
Geller also co-wrote a Neocon (& anti-Obama) book with Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch, the foreword of which was written by PNAC associate, John Bolton.
....
....
Geller has expressed support for the EDL and advocated ties between the Tea party and the EDL; while Brim, who has direct links with the EDL, has proposed connections with other Far Right factions like Le Pen's National Front on the condition they ditch their traditional anti-semitism. EDL have already met up with Tea Party groups in the US.
Chris Knowles in a US blog radio interview in 2007 unveiled a mission to establish "a network of networks" of Far Right groups across the US and Europe. Also disclosed was the idea of a network of counter-jihad (read Far Right) blogger radio stations. Edward May (aka Baron Bodissey), another director of CVF, also called for "a network of networks." Did this idea originate with CVF head, Christine Brim and her associates at the CSP? Breivik was a contributor to the anti-islamic website, Gates of Vienna, run by Edward May (- a website registered at Virginia, where Brim is a resident). A common feature of the website are calls for lone wolf actions.
So we have a direct link between prominent Neocons in the US, the founding of the EDL, and a network of networks of Far Right groups across Europe and the US.
Behind the counter-jihad front of these shadowy movers is fundamentalist free-market ideology, support for US militarism and pro-Israeli advocacy. The counter-jihad front is aimed not only at Muslim anti-imperialists but at Marxists and Anarchists.
Brim rails against Marxism, Geller’s blog was called 'Atlas Shrugs' in tribute to Ayn Rand, while Breivik told the police he was with the Anti-Communist Resistance Movement. The EDL, who claim to be against Islamification of the UK, have attacked anarchist Indymedia offices, and threatened and harassed Occupy camps (who are radical democrats).
Historical precedents (Operation Gladio, the Pinay Circle etc.) would point to the secret services as the shadowy puppet masters.
The leadership of the EDL have been vigorously pro-Israeli, which has provoked some disapproval among Far Right members who are historically anti-Jewish. From the beginning there have been Israeli flags waved at EDL demos, and in 2010 an EDL Jewish division was set up. The Israeli advocacy is not coming from the rank and file. It is part of a coordinated agenda from a higher command.
I also doubt if it's a coincidence that the EDL was formed around the homecoming parades for soldiers - which are part of a wide-ranging campaign orchestrated by the shadow state to brainwash the public into supporting militarism.
Frank Gaffney, Caroline Glick, Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, Paul Weston - are all cited by Breivik in his manifesto.
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