iraq

Computer Virus Disguised as Nicholas Berg Beheading Video: August, 2004

A group calling itself the Hackarmy is spreading a computer virus through an email message claiming to offer a link to the beheading video of Nicholas Berg. This same virus was circulated during July, 2004 in a message claiming to show evidence that Osama Bin Laden had committed suicide. Since "beheading" and "Nicholas Berg" are among the most frequent search terms, it is not surprising that these topics would be ripe for exploitation.
[BBC]

"There Are No Journalists In the Arab World": July 29, 2004

Arab media authority Dr. Mamoun Fandy wrote a critique of the Arab press in the London Arabic-language daily 'Al-Sharq Al0Aqsat' that has been translated into English and posted by the Middle East Media Research Institute:

"Thousands of stories should be written on the lives of Iraqis - but where are the journalists?! Is it the lack of professional journalists that [makes] these journalistic stories remain unknown?' [...]
'The first [problem] is that our culture is not like the Catholic culture that emphasizes confession, particularly when the individual has sinned. Likewise, an individual confessing a crime against himself or others [is considered] unacceptable among us. We raise our sons [with the belief] that it is not manly to confess, to cry, or to acknowledge that repression and oppression have broken an individual's determination and perhaps damaged his masculinity. Our newspapers will focus only on heroic deeds and overcoming difficulties. This is praiseworthy. But there are many personal defeats, retreats, and torments, and we must let those who have experienced them talk about them. This requires change in the newspaper culture, or in the so-called newsroom culture. The first [problem] is that our culture is not like the Catholic culture that emphasizes confession, particularly when the individual has sinned. Likewise, an individual confessing a crime against himself or others [is considered] unacceptable among us. We raise our sons [with the belief] that it is not manly to confess, to cry, or to acknowledge that repression and oppression have broken an individual's determination and perhaps damaged his masculinity. Our newspapers will focus only on heroic deeds and overcoming difficulties. This is praiseworthy. But there are many personal defeats, retreats, and torments, and we must let those who have experienced them talk about them. This requires change in the newspaper culture, or in the so-called newsroom culture.[...] Arab officials do not respect the press as a means for conveying information, [...] But even our officials behave differently [than officials in the West]. Instead of rebutting the author of an article by [writing another] article, he picks up the telephone and talks to the newspaper's owner to [have him] silence the author."
[Middle East Media Research Institute]

Saudi Crackdown on Camera Phones: July 20, 2004

"Camera phones are already illegal in the kingdom, but until now they have been tolerated by the authorities. [...] People have been buying phones as quickly as possible because they think they are going to be taken from the shops. The Ministry of Commerce and other relevant departments are currently devising new measures to stop camera phones being used to invade people's privacy, the Arab News newspaper has reported. [...] phones are also being confiscated at airports and from guests attending weddings."
[BBC]

"Art Imitates Life in Iraq": July 24, 2004

The New York Times presents a multi-media presentation with six images of visual artists in Iraq.
[NY Times Multimedia :: Images]

Cam-phone Sex Scandal Reported in Saudi Arabia: July 14, 2004

"Two young men from prominent Saudi families are being probed on charges of orchestrating and filming a sexual assault on a Saudi teen-aged girl by a Nigerian driver, a high-ranking official said Tuesday. [...] the accused circulated footage of the assault through mobile phones equipped with cameras. It should be noted that camera phones are widely used in Saudi Arabia despite an official ban. [...] The phone clip shows the secondary school girl, aged 17, pleading as she is assaulted by the driver, while one of the two men, apparently her former boyfriend, hurls abuse at her."
[Al Bawaba]

Khurram Saeed: "Photos of Contrition": July 13, 2004

"The faces in the 100 photographs are solemn. There are people of various faiths, cultures and ages. They hold handwritten signs with messages of peace and contrition addressed to the people of Iraq. [...] These ordinary Americans, from Alaska to Florida, Massachusetts to New Mexico, are taking part in a project meant to bridge the distance between two cultures half a world apart. Developed by the Upper Nyack-based Fellowship of Reconciliation after the Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal in May, the Iraq Photo Project's goal is to collect photos from regular people who want to convey their feelings directly to Iraqis. While some of the signs in photos apologize specifically for the actions at Abu Ghraib, others use the opportunity to express regret for the invasion and occupation. [...] Hossein Alizadeh, coordinator of the Iraq Photo Project, said he would attempt to get the images on Arab TV channels and in Arab newspapers so they could reach Iraqis and other Muslims."
[New York News]
[IRAQ Photo Project]