“By Frank Gardner, BBC News security correspondent.” — the byline on this article
Not the Frank Gardner?
The Frank Gardner who for years spouted pro-Arab and anti-Israel reports from the Middle East?
The Frank Gardner who on September 12, 2001 had to report “reluctantly” from Cairo that Cairenes were celebrating upon hearing news of the attacks in New York and Washington — and one wondered why he had to report this “reluctantly”?
The Frank Gardner whom Muslim terrorists tried to kill in Saudi Arabia? As he, Frank Gardner, lay bleeding on the street, he begged passersby to “help me, I’m a Muslim, help me, I’m a Muslim.” Because, you see, Frank Gardner knew after his years in the Muslim countries that the only conceivable appeal that might get someone to help him would be to say not “help me, I’m wounded” or merely “help me,” but only, given his appearance, “help me, I’m a Muslim.” That was the moment of truth, or should have been, for his listeners. But was it?
He recovered, pocketed a nice sum from the Saudis, and now is back to reporting, having learned nothing. And his bosses also seem to have learned nothing from that astonishing equivalent to a “dying declaration” (as it is known in American law): “Help me, I’m a Muslim.”
Has Frank Gardner forgotten what, for some minutes when he thought he was dying, he appeared to recognize? He has gone right back to what he had been doing before that incident, the way that another untrustworthy reporter from the Middle East, Bob Simon, just after his brief capture by Iraqis during the Gulf War, seemed just a bit chastened, just a bit less outrageous in his reporting. But now Simon also has returned, whenever he gets chance, to his former perspective. Perhaps stupidity rather than malevolence explains it in Simon’s case. Perhaps it can be attributed to his staggering incomprehension of what is going on in the Middle East, not least in the Lesser Jihad against Israel. Perhaps it is based on Bob Simon’s inability or apparent unwillingness, during all his years reporting from Israel, to learn the first thing about Islam.
Frank Gardner has for years been a tireless apologist for, and therefore promoter of, the Muslim agenda. He spoke in debates at the Oxford Union in support of a “Palestinian” state. He had the usual Bush House sneer for Israel.
Now that Frank Gardner is back, reporting on naval battles in the Persian Gulf, does one have a right to ask, and now have answered by him, this question?
When you in a moment of truth screamed “help me, I’m a Muslim,” what did you mean? Why did you scream those words, and not others?
We want to know. Tell us.
One has also just a few more questions for the execrable, miserable Frank Gardner: Tell us, Frank, at this point, is you is or is you ain’t?
Not that it makes any difference in your coverage, which is as appalling as it could be. But still — one would like to know — when you cried out “Help me, I’m a Muslim,” were you telling the truth? And if so, for how long had you been a Muslim, or have you become one since, in a fascinating variant on the Stockholm syndrome? Did you embrace Islam at long last because you were deeply sympathetic to it, or was what pushed you into “reversion” that attempt by a Muslim to kill you?
Tell us, Frank Gardner.
And BBC — tell us why Frank Gardner, and Barbara Plett and Orla Guerin, and so many others “too numerous to mention” have not been discharged for journalistic malpractice, and those who protect them (see here for more on one case, John Simpson) as well? Michael Grade should seize control of the BBC World Service from the Foreign Office and fire, outright, John Simpson, that vicious anti-American, antisemitic #3 at the BBC, and the man who has helped turn the BBC World Service into the anti-American, anti-Israel organization it is.
Then fire Judy Swallow, she of the permanent sneer, and Robin Lustig, and Lyse Doucet, and bring in people who are fit for the task of reporting things straight. What does it take for the British people and government to begin to clean up the BBC? How many more outrages?