Reuters Photographer Stage Managing Riots

Reuters photographers are at it again. When they're not photo editing their images for maximum effect, they're busy giving stage directions to fellow rioters on how to maximize the impact of their rock throwing.

On Tuesday, a Reuters cameraman was remanded to prison until trial for his part in rock-throwing attacks on security forces in Bil’in, where the separation fence is a constant target of protesters.

The cameraman, Imad Muhammad Intisar Boghnat, was arrested and charged as a result of violent riots in the Arab village of Bil’in, in the Modi’in region, on October 6, 2006. A videotape that the prosecution presented to the judge shows Boghnat encouraging and directing rioters in Bil’in to throw large chunks of rock at Israeli vehicles in such a way as to cause maximum damage. The accused is heard shouting, “Throw, throw!” and later, “Throw towards the little window!”

The judge of the Judea-area military court who issued the remand order, Major Amir Dahan, called the case “borderline” for pre-trial imprisonment, but he noted that the alternative of house arrest was not wise, as Boghnat is a resident of Bil’in.

“That village is a constant source of conflict and the respondent [Boghnat] should not again be placed in such a dilemma, lest he again, Heaven forbid, disgrace himself,” the judge wrote in his decision. In addition, Maj. Dahan emphasized that “above all, the accused must be cut off from camera work in tense and sensitive locales where disturbances take place.” Security forces must also have easy access to Boghnat, the judge said.

Suggesting a possible explanation for Boghnat’s behavior, Maj. Dahan wrote that the criminal act in question may have been perpetrated “out of the desire to mollify the villagers who know him, rather than acting as he normally does, as has been preliminarily proven, as a purely objective cameraman.”

Objective cameraman? In what world? He's giving directions to other rioters on how to throw rocks at Israeli vehicles to inflict the maximum amount of damage and cause harm to the occupants.

Thus far, Reuters has no mention of this story on its website. I'm sure that will change shortly.

I'm entertaining new tag lines for Reuters given the long line of fauxtography and bogus/exaggerated news:

Reuters: When faking the news simply isn't enough do.

Reuters: When you absolutely, positively, have to get your riot photos just right, accept no substitutes.

Reuters: Stage managing riots since 2006.

Reuters: Blowing smoke was just the start of it.

Reuters: Giving new meaning to the term photo kill.

UPDATE:
Wizbang notes that Reuters photographers do anything to get the shot.

Kesher Talk wonders about Reuters objectivity. No need to wonder. With each passing incident, they show themselves to be alligning themselves with the other side.

Also blogging: LGF, Church and State, Hot Air, Dan Riehl, Ace of Spades, and Michelle Malkin.

Technorati: reuters, Boghnat, riot, palestinians, israel, videotape, idf.