There's a debate going on over at Pickled Politics (www.pickledpolitics.com) around the press coverage of the birmingham, beheading plot arrests over the weekend. the gist of it is, that the press coverage is prejudicial and will affect the court case. basically as pointed out by Peter Wilby in yesterday's MediaGuardian, it is illegal.
Sunny @ Pickled Politics also raises the point that the arrest of two BNP members found with masses of explosive chemicals in October 2006 was not reported on in any detail for fear of prejudicing the trial outcome. Yet our fourth estate (aka the press), with the responsibility of impartiality, has gone all out on reporting unsubstantiated information and splashing it all over the front pages, when there are muslims involved.
What's even more disturbing is that the Home Office apparently briefed journalists. which, if true, makes this state sponsored propaganda and a media witch hunt agains muslims - and ethnic minorities - in the UK. So much for our faith in the 'rule of law' - you know innoncent until proven guilty - as an advanced, civilised society.
The impact of this in reinforcing a climate of fear and demonising all muslims as Al-Qaeda sympathisers and operatives, is impossible to measure. It's a disgrace, and makes me ashamed to be British. Will we hear about this in our papers? Probably, but only because a storm is brewing with human rights groups such as Liberty and proper journalists such as Peter Wilby, highlighting this situation
