N0. 019 Y.

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~,NOV . 2001 20 :1B 41?i 43G 2831

i0 DOWNING STREET
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PRESS OFFICE FACSLti(ILE `" fE55AGE

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+ 44 (0) 20 793 0 4433 ?,?,Cl 1..

 r. [
~1~~ flov. iiJ01 TV ; 19 0111 9jU 1Ui1 IYU 4VIY

CONFIDENTIAL

10 DOWNING STREET
LOiti"OON SWL? 2AA

Direcmr :if Com,:nt:n:cador.s and Strcegy 12 November 2001

Dear Richard,

In our meeting-last month, I raised our fears -that the-democracies engaged

in this conflict are likely to be at a media disadvantage to the terrorists anad
dictatorship ?hat is deemed to be `the other side' ; that in understandably refusing
to take sides, the media would set up a sense of moral equivalence between
elected governnments responding to a terrorist attack, and the terrozist network
responsible for that attack; and that we as democracies would be put under far
greater scretiny for the policies we pursue, and the claims that we make, than the
T'aliban oz Din Laden. Those fears have been borne out substantially by the
EBC's coverage over recent weeks .

There are several issues I would like you to address .

First, I wauld like to ask whetheez you believe your reporters are
adequately following yol.tr Guidelines, in particular those- whir'1 refer to the
importance of scepticisrn when dealing with `information' put out by tenorist
propagandists ; and those which remind reporters of their obligation to keep their
views to themselves? Could I also ask when those covering the story post
September 11°'' had their specific attention drawn to these Guide!L-ies, arid how
they mieht relate to the coverage?

You will be aware that in the Guidelines much of the advice on reporting
terroxis' activities is to refer to your editorial policy department, o: to heads of
departrnent,,On how-many occasions has this happened? Who is responsible for
Ee tss'~- ,:_ing of-advice and guidance? I''have been informed that nothing has been
referred up beyond programme editor . Is this so?
'~ F,=C, I `Lt. I nn ~ 0
- `12-FJOU-eu~9 03 :43 FRC'° NEWS M^n`ti' ;GB"iF.NT TO F . 04/18

rOL1r ~ ROV EX-II SD--Cii1C .^".L3' 10 3 uLtIkT0~i 02 flr.°aS Wal-=-- f ~wZ°'4T~ the
' :!DC i3104'tYC- a Gt31d .~11:°S iii2,v~;?VeP,14, ._i IJL VLV^41=J .

ReDortina ? slibatt s1lairns of riuil:an camsities, 8`~s. fuaT'C'Bt5 -'Yc

Tine BBC E'ruiduli.nRs on rena^t:a_s te:ra-is: ac~divlzies et~.Ahas:su th--

in:LT,.+OiT2~'7C. o: aLCTmrat=} r-
.spoPS7b1 : P°T?JI"LL~!~ e..'Rd the aYOiuixIIx

_
'""When. rvL7^JrtL'1o- ta:^3 :26r:1 '~ .l' e SD .~".'s-ToYB 19 to tz{1 T."l-1 t!u:CCY - i:{u?Ci:t-.ly,
acCYlLa.tCly, Illlly, iest}(SnSpDl'y+ 9,ild avo1C21aa -P80t11u"tiOn . di pBqt)li; 2,-r~ to t-:-ist
repar`ung u~e :{And : be se-=_ta bE indrperrd!mtas well as
(B.3C?Ppdp?C_°r G2t2deTlY6°S rl7.Gy'ieY 18 : ?^3iT0Y.37Td aPlldXQItC31?.S.xT :r°C&Ci':iy)

'nhe propagrs:ca goli:y of Al Qafda umd i;nW T~hbpr, as t<~iu C"u:de :ine.s wizic'rR
were on tf0nz W°bsl:e Y.°.St.°:'a`'1~%37 a7]].°.aF i'a au1m01i'l .°.dge, i: t-0 Rr.°,c^..tc 2 Fllyt`_:-}, in tl'1P.
1uf1:o1?%:S w3rlii thati'vV t-st=cleli7oGi .a.c!rS Yl~w.- d9GI=d war -yaiasE IsPan . 1'p-r° oz
is to sugas: tri. coalition is delsbemstely targeting civilians . Ta°y
-^-n 3.. .~i.° Talc-- .
: [aims aDmSi.IiiTGsud ta:pLs an C:L737.,.an
dl cab',12.l,ti4s OS.I a C.a=1}' 1"raaais .

The ~'as CC7?1 :__£'tOn1'd' 7-~p CPiv~d.` Lil°_S ~_S~ i.:Ls11~15"oTcT7l75fCQ Ta!?Oa :-'1 C3$"1
OIWn pi"i3rn221eaclY, sRJ3rill.=~s`as G, ZBad stGiy. To ISIylu'""to'W.1°dyC, a:lnD ~QY .~3- has a
t3BCj`cr_naPist que ;:ia::vd the-crams made !~y Lr1r 1aE-ban a= °:~ear oress
ec~~e.eac~s ~ =aiarYnaaad ., ~~--~ermare, yaur jaurna'~ cs r~o:~ tbe T'alsba~. ai~.~
Wz:.~ no x;.=er~ce to'ttce9r PropAg 6a prlic-x'. ~.nd omGe ~he ola.ir:.ss have ba~:n
r:ove-l ~p be ac curate the $BC do-~-:S not issue a aar, ec~.a°~ or rvpott t.:~e fact ~-~_f
t`r:e Talican had made a ffaise clsarn. C-cQa I remind you of fn-p- park of you..r
Guidelines that says :

`~uri: ~ sw;lCus iaCLhAal eit :rL does ^ .= it :s impf3FYxi$ iLl c^Cct&t it CleaTijt
~T
ml Q cT lki~Se"tyirna iTdh-,-t was tRla7tng as wEIl 2s pa :-iI1r- it riz,R:` Can b6 i:
aletZ7-=I7.t in S~CKi~,~ ?~"l, eITeGtiv'e CozFuCib .^.rd,'
3..P C PiD~.,-~cer
-,... CtGac.n
='aI .. t'lf. ~, Chapt~vr 2: FmPcrt:rtl:'yy -,rtd ZI cct:racy

One Of zl-laany ena~?'a;les: C}:: 'f CvovMbez 'Do " t_e ::air TV ;but :e'4-m at 6nn
and a PllI11bP.T b7 RaLQ 5 i."~S]OiC Ie70r:rC 'L.rAe TaL10am, C.l3in1 L~la: 8. 352 L}C?:nbZI }lit
:. y0w°vr ctaflmi and da^_7 D`.ii7.'Z,n~ "'r~,°. i1J°5 Gi la,l~~(~ ~_°.~3~71v 8t I'1 :K. `I~~l~ ~vrt_C~1~ ].1aC>~.
GOn)"-lnmad t,'l-- dam was not it Carzge~: cnQ' tSle:,°; is ;to wiC1=f':C e to ST3.z,..bt ihG.. it has
~ beer; di-oa=-ed. Zh'°re has beoa no f6?a`v up to tiy.i: st-c,y. I enclose =cc Your
zfoin-at'ton an, up tc data aseess~ent of a selwatra7 of same c~ the lies tald 1~y A.he
'aI°:ban. It is Ion=, blat I believe :t rr.e"ts yol;r atzention . 3 woul:i ezh you to
1 11
'atkr 1 LL1 0o a 1
 TG 9-C'J3493424e673 P .175/1S
4? NOV-2030 OB : 4= FROM NEWS MRNRGEP9ENT
L VdF,C S7J'.CrJ.~ t L.$ 2 .1

^3-

CL7I1S :ccr WrSt p{254~;1`8 17~°. 3BC, ?L3 tSlt.~°iY2ew?i~ E's 1T d TrpCJ-ktBi5 would 8dC7_77~L ?: G US,
Ui Qf. cT~ -- Gm.1itiC11 SpQieSm:z Tri'ydY claims Wilien ft=-,d out to be -'all S: e .

l t :s LIQ'batJly tid01'tCl st'!'.°~9sLT1gr LrE1' the GR2Lf.toa a t'3P1iCV 0.n.. prC" Yldi=a I)`c.!tk
dama~c assesssne~nt in :v;mtiar? is to be ass ape°! and honest as s~ossibie a:-s-~ to p~::
the i~~~sAyrna~on ir_io tae public dama :~ as ouic~ly as ~cres?ble. 'r'he ofPavl
these assessment
; ese made mcars that it car. rake same tine far the aoa.ritian to
est2bi<sRbeyond douh :that a Aalibanelai .rnwas inacc'uatu . (Sornetimes i-t ca-n
never be prove, L though tn~Tmord tends ta ~e !iks~i1o0d ihat a Yl_?M "x-i 1? be
Tads.~)~ Th°=~. 25'Ch, .°...°6fCsz','", an iP'c-built G1s3dti'~.t2ct 'dsl2.irSt the cJatY"'~t0z in the so
called ~~nZO'ITsll".loy'1v'Rr' . Th .°. =£~iC1a;1 C21 Y11'd.k.°v a cSalti S~J'~?,7.~'S Is i.~'vi:vd S_`L'2Vh.L -
c;A1c~p ~1Si` GV the time we ~r~ able t0 N~u'TLia~ :3]° 2CGLLr'd.t : LZEC}Fi~1,~.~~R i.11E ' star-y'
hes raved on 50 9t ooes =e7orted, Could YOU po~~ me to any iz-tta.~ce OF a
&I"_b'^_J._'~ clEa?11 beL.'Ic _epotwcd j3 .o1TSit1e':"_t~ya v.1 the subS0CkL?IIF :3..,lsetlot7d c3 d Z1e
' ~;lai :r bes,b repcr'wE grar~iaea~~+ tac? Do yvi: age-, that d= 'Lalibam
r1'~.!~a5 SIIC~ u~.1~Sf:Fbl2mL~,~ Ic_}?tl j t0 :.°,AG:C the truth, t~~ ~%'~C ~.7&i T31~%~G~ ;1Q~3~ ?i$t0
' !a1-, hands O" Cc'7 e TaiLbS?Tl prupz?Sna3 !11aC'LPm'°?

07 uie- E1.rafGiIti-aatc, and "r~:.na'3l:ST

"F?Ily ra:e aCG2.CtOIls WtkeII 2 bomb 11P.5 a07°
?$tr2jr, OE i...~-=- 112V-e been G'V111aM 9,?S°1ai`1ec ffiC CCwLila"D !`:2S fi1J?:515,~,~a .T!;yf =, Lad
tte infoTxYlaT_f]n Dub?iG 1.?'t 2.;( up en a'1d h01.`.:st fG,'shit3k. For aXamfl'v vsiPr7 :~..1' e Red
Cross vra,u'a¬xuse in Kab~) was hit au 27 sJcton;r, tEe Daparu~nezit o`F3cf°=c-. ~z
5tat=-elit fOm1r=zcr 3-f 2 Bomber, 5 had inadvcrtem-~Iy
Wa_'tL"YkgtDfl lssllad a

drorl?'--d 2,0001b bombs on tH~- vnxehouze. -Xe Immdtr-

ff V,~'- d:l d :Iot behav.- in t~='s way. No s--, um n~-1 es5,z, s P! are "-1 by t1i c mat~a
Dn the 71 zl:,baz

I ap_~ed Events

1 hav sc:= :h-~naw G-ai6eh s' relanngto

- I :h~ cmflir-~twhirh aLypuar c-;ti 0a
L

yo,,ar wtbsit . yestffrdayJ, 7 1 4 ft e,- tao-A'aLrI a--y t1nat There is no -reL---t-nc-1 to -the Trisks
and Lo C-u;6=cc rx, :h- need to be sonl.c~?!
claizns rn ade by z~~e 'I'al ibam . It -maylo-, of Dourse, that tjje~ BBC 'r% as ta-l-em
tha P-olicv deo ;sioa fh~~t t~t Talib= Lrc nor r,-1~ete~d to fh-, A I Qai,!P n5m,,~o~k 'iht
-A'ay,th-at alle, th-~ rest of :h~a inten, Etotal comm=nity b .-~IM-je thern, to be;~ if 'ais
;S GOP I -would iLike. ycil to expl'FLr how You have rlachcd t~is --cr-c-l-a-si= . If ;-'4 '5 rot
so, c-an I assume thzt ~.1:c Guadelia,es on terroxtsn and ra.tien3l seourity sti-P-?1%,r7

I'lae ,.~
.,3C CJ+1ideaes f1i1 `$Lac,ed wYen~tS' rlQhi, .~-v DQiIIT 011t Th-m50
CY?R'i9 2.m ploys U.sE;d by t..°..rTc7I :.B: OTp$zn6at1=s to GGLit i3,~'QUi2D18'171t~T1iG1`y 3.Y1c~
that BBC jau ;na?ista should regard Lnem as sucr;

t24 r 1 1, 1002 2
 u9 : 41 FROM NEWS MRNPaEMEfvT -0 9-03 :a4S34248079 F . O6/18
"12-NUV-2800
wi. vK zk.Ffi.:v LUL4.Ps

" 4-

°-From time ta ti_~ne p&r&-nilitary a%d te_-Mr?et groups stage "public

p~ge~-z~ces", usually to tr-yttr pt publicity. BBC?eopie auot:Idnmuez sg-rte °a
at'iGI2d`st25?vd° PVt9s`?C; With oui&i°ilee to Heads of D=ar=
.-1t, Cot?~?1'1: .-Ss'SoiLY1a
.
I xecux~tius or ,Hee.cs of Reficn. World Service."
BBG,F'rcducax C-utdel:n6s C,~~?~ter 18: Terrorsrn and Xzhanal So
.-
.r
. issue _go ts beyond
:,,His ti- a13' La?~ ~±duos. T"nere hbe~571 rr:any
C}C ;,aslc_1S OF BBC ~poLtCa tak,_' ;t :c `G3kfd2 d =Pd' arva9 Cy :he 1a i1~3cL vt?Zw
mslt you to look into a sma'sl seiv~tdo :: .

>vxampIea of BBC jc3ii"~~is'c3 bas7nz r;p~_'t on T alibz clzLraZ5 P-nd staged ~Fwi1t5,
s,;citbot.zi adequ-_t° cGntutilual.i:,aaoz: --
"
Reporter: US wap C2I ;)`~ tbE3ILbino', lailbaBlk(7sl:ioi.5 tota..aj1-- in K'a?1dai7ar- We W°S .°.
shown resulzs of US bcairbincy , . . (BBC I~:evrs at Ten; uIi'1QI01) W~,-,k ssbczwed
them?

SZ1"Ya?1t lnE'f":f:'Y : We've $}:.ea Tak'il to 6'.uC?xsian of sL1as . . T3l2irly them h<s Cf°.~'r:Y
6estruc;qa. . in several cirmamrm=r~ s~s b~.~:fibiz~a is cmlse., W5'v-- se-el burnt-out
o7a tmK°I' in b'f'i"1c', 3 weT .". ¬dlled by US gu?)S3Se . . saw Palantd row of shops
(1~~~ Today ?~roYrs~~r ., 3iliG/09) ~'ivat evidence !s there for th-:3

3imon fPTrC$m : . .pcinl of 0 li : :s to ,`+klDiY bomSin.? atFwc?s haV° been W°~

.~.~.,

TIdo_: daiTiace to oid pmpIo ttl:..t,, to armed f0`cC5 . . IIaviTg 2sk:.esu. quE,M:i,oI'S ,.'~_%
IDC??c, 2C an ~..`-a:a^ tI1vF'u have ~ i, ec1Z lots uf bombs ¢o astray -.'1d CM-Ri.ans iC :ti~°d .
we were shown a hut and wondered why this was hit (R5 xun:.hti--Ie, 3 VIQI0t)
15 there any W`~'S£$?~C°sorthe 4.a72E1 of f~.C9zsof ~3CFa'IS .E~s--gfiSES3~2.5 :'I'$~"`~

i '
rL'Sl°7! t4.Stx1Tall, .t''~El.};3<fan: TaliC3F.et 3c".y?a? onC of dtad is Ci7YId who `s.¬SL_c17.eC3
e?tis`er barmb ~?,5 Evidence?

J1Gsi:?E12CC12 rrCCE : T3.L1t}r7.I1 F~3?'~'s~7t2.f'V°: s.'.yS dam has ~7'R CYt_ not dcstrgqP'd says
Eves of 73Fi fa,~~-rilies in area m da"_ge_ .. ;ayz c..m is clearly publia ut;iity ~ has
-1atto do ,vith riiiiary . . . (?L Lur_~chame, Q1I11/Qi)
,),'man
Ir.gram : Tai'zoan liaa been tal=e us to see results of c~`zvr raids , on- a -Fa:.k
villep about ho~,~ out connal-,tely duvastate3 by a -Mck , . Ioca ;s said °4
gaopic lcii`ed ;r. attack . . shawTi ~:2ves ©f 3© people (P,5 Lmchti.,-n^, 0Il1?iG1)

9b CJ u-1 00 O~3
 70 9-+'~T-'~4°'4248c7~ P .0''/18
. ir-NOU-2000 OB :,'1 FROM I~EWS MRNRCcMcNf
!:L):"dUM1~d .FMLL

_a .

ui:n~rz Xn;rsrr., Kanrlahar: Re°n takm ta ~~sit viI'age whcre We -'omd sce-ne of
tO~Al desttlyedo~. ., up za 40-50 hi-uses des~oyed ~:, I=ds said ~yv~hor° up to 40
people 'l,'~ed ,. Irfiliiary siCCn:,^canc ..~? Absaiutziy na'd:~x~~at es1 ar, face ~A at . . vei~
Strer:g evi34ace rcis was j",~Zt :,:.-,R: ti°s.i.age (33C ~c~rld;-~w-I-1-Dlf,.tt-°x ~~~ersk~~.d
the Pentagon ttps since e..6tabllshed that this wzs p~.-t of a military corzaplex .

Rag?h Om..ar, whilst !hem, we w- taketl to reiu;ae aamg . . didn't

er.lst wat;l ?-s wks ado . . ? men said they'd crane- ther: beca.usa of nc~-*-u
btamb~rdmvnt of viIlages . . I st}a reto ?s~T,,ister a: Information who ~Onfzrae'
.is . ., (BBC World, 08l1?M) , . we wcre ma ae~rt bv the Ta :ban i~-La.-L=.a'.ion
~~!
- :rciaz:aters -,Who told us that tvhere had b-m a v swrioas neavy bomlara.n--kent over
;i#t r"rom US . . h~ sa:d that 43 c:fri:<s~-cs had ?nn killed but I haxle Tro vIF.y of
~Vek'Ii,y1ng :ucT .. hw said C13v! -no d''3tPUi i.t;3: r1a1t~'J3T1 t7D1G~°ItP,f~s "ciF"oAa Zg31L:s:

i~ombardl_nezt. . . . (BBC 1310, 09)illOil) js theTaliber 5 Y-te- of 1--fammatiou

-viewed by the EBC as P- r--U-ble- source, as this report suggests?

AS° Y0Ll s2L;$'il-,d t~at 0i] IlO.TU°- Qi i.`Ies,°.' 4CfiiaS7OI16 }rU'.ii I`.+',`..~Qit::S s~11 ib11~ 4T
51o+.zr GxLIideliIIcs f,?S &;:°v!~E1.GA~9 i.°,°t'0"I3t .^.la~i1S, sr-."7eCLiIC.t7£S=, 9:aa~ u't'v"'~~Ta or .̀.,'::
Guid~;he which says rnarLers shetud maqLt it a?e<J.r wlz°n hey have not bf-,a7i able
ta ~sti~.ess eveuts ~hera>°_?v°s? .

As vou, know 7^xo--M My '~~Lane Call a'-n ~°7rdWY> I ~rOtu~ L<Ye ye+i :~ 100k into
.11v r~L~7,r417~~ On m-~ 19 O'C10 .'`w5 C7 ::.Lh,°+43i.

I"r~'e.`Svveit'Ia-t~~hYCiyour ('~X'i%daltrlcuon sevvT2 .k :A'LPts.

2) Th° aZ1tI?'-~ rc"FDrt G'zs b26td oz a `St?zg-ed eve-m, MI CRZ13: ~'k1~S~LT 5I'.?'°.Ena
that he was taken ¢,o :he sc=nm of 1-us report by the Tatiba^.

V,1 Z(}. .°r Vt?i'rte 11F1e$ "5t2`.+.°. t :c°. t 7T1 :e- 0 .13-n. :~--Fltr=j i .$.TtgiiLre i5 hey .n

=13 langn3.p was arrlir_g btzt r.autraI. (TrsJ.-uscript zttaehed)

C~ Tht tiaide?Li7Es make clear ~wisQR~. ap3SJio°L"f .5` s~LOLd '~3e k:.ee7t out CIi re+EFits :
"~ adieraces shawd not bv able"to ZzuZa uo:s BBC 1~r0zre~rxn~s _he oerssu.l views
az t)r°_setT.ters mid rerrortvrs ori c:.ntave :sial i~sues:'
(31?CProhu.ear Guiad:znes Ch Eer 2 : Impart;rIt?y a-zd Aco-a pa cy}

He very c?eziky stat°s'xYis :eca~~22? ou~inmo= at fhe tad of _he report ;

Q 12 f' 11 J n(-) 2-4

 01"11 S30 2831 N0, 4019 P . 7'
1'2~' NR 2001~ 20 ; 20
C~7NFIDEPv'TIAL

-b-

<<
"The next geaeration of Afghans are now having to cope with the waste of another
conflict ."
(Rageh Omar, BBC 10'0'clock News, 9 November 2001)

Your Guidelines say that `reporters will often be reporting what they have
not themselves seen. This should be made evident.' It was not. Nor did he follow
that guideline in his report last night on the alleged attack upon a 'marble factory',

I felt his report to be as pure a piece of Talibar, propaganda as the 1aliba_n

and the terrorists they harbour could have hoped for. -Could 1-ask whether you
believe it was fair and impartial? Could I ask what were the circumstances -that led
to Mr Omar being janted access to Afghanistan? Was he given free access? Was
he at any time escorted? Your Guidelines state that 'if reports have been censored
or monitored . . .we should say so', and that `we should explain the r.tles under
which -we -are speaking.' Why was ifo iefeience maae to his iaiabiIity to fravel
freely inside Afghanistan? If he was reporting freely, it is difficult to escape the
conclusion that he was simply serving up what he assumed his hosts wanted to see
and hear in the ?:op-1~e would gair fur?her access in the 'future.

It is not as if the tone and natare of his report was balanced by the rest of tha
bulletin . The coverage of Mazar - i - Sharif was pretty straight forward, though
many will find it extraordinary that you did not carry the Prim-, 1,v2izaister's
comments on it ; but this was followed not only by MT Ornar, but an account of
opposition to the coalition in Indonesia, riots in Pakistan, and an account of
Taliban sympathisers going to fight for their . The result was a bulletin that was
biased, and in which Mr Omar's report was simply t>~e most glaring and
disgraceful example .

Re-carding your Guidelines on the personal opinion of reporters, and on

speculation about milaary information, 1 would like your view on the iollo"',:na
offerings by Andrew Gilliga;r.
 r~u. ~uiy r, n
12,~NOV, 2041 20 :21 0171 930 2631
CONFIDENTIAL

Gilli crn : Neighbouring narions on board? Possibly . . the Northern Aliiiance no better than
the Taliban (Today 0725 ilv)
1 Oct 2001
Gilligan : I'd Say Oman & Uzbek, will fall into line, afte: extracting massive
concessions inc. a b:ind eye being cast on their izrintense human right abuses
(Today 0740) . -
5 Oct 2001
GILRan : 'Lin isla,-nabadj Bombing campaien has achieved almost
nothing . .. no real signs of weakness in Taliban regime (Today 0655)

15 Oct 2001
Gilligar : AC 130s like Hercules trar.sport airc:aft which circle low & slowly
above targets . . especially used against small targets like colum.ns of troops . .
fairly devastating weapon . . fact t:,ey're being used suggests to me only that
they're in new pl=zse of oera_tion ,, suggess.zhay'ze-also-loohirtg-at-taceical
II'OOp forrrlatIOPS . . I don't thllik it slltr°_0sts as L'I{ papers suggest that
s DtC; al L-ound forces are :-~-ninent . . basically think. they're Just attacking
Taliban (Today 0635) . . .
17 Oct 2001
Gaiigan : Endgame of stzl: feeilng their way? Still fee1ing heir way . . unless
incredible st=oke of hick . action will carry on over winter (Today
0635)
03 Nov 2001
Gi?l:gan ~ MA cor.rro! 40 % of country? More like 30°lo . . NA force is of such
poor quality tHat it could not have taken all this territory by real fighting . .
L'K rroops on .he ground? I think the no, is pretty sr:all . a few dozen
special forces if that (Today 0610) . I thin-k that a f:aht at Kabul could see
the Northarn Alliance lo se these eains (Today 0920)

25 Ocr 2001
Gilligan~ In classic New Labour fashion, over-ambitious rhetoric is in
daneer of inflating expectations . Mr Rlair promises to `put a trap aro~.rnd the
TaJeban regime', but how exactly? He describes the military operat:on not as
an unpleasant necessity against a specific foe, but as part of a global strug;le
to `dismantle the machinery of terror', an undertaking surely bound to fail.
(Spectator) .
1~. NOV . 2001 2M!i 0111 930 2831 NQ. 4019 N, 1 U
C®1~'FZDEl~d'iAL

-9-

I believe this is my first letter of complaint to you, so with apologies for the
length of this letter, I close by saying that these are serious questions, and I look
:orward .o a serious detaaed response, not the `we car: do no wrong' bnxsh-of- I
carar to expect from. Tony Ha,l. I a.~ :~ copying fnis to Ann Slorran and Margaret
Hill.

Yours Ever,

ALAST.AIR CkVMBELL
Richard Sambrook
BBC

Enclosures (2)
 01?1 930 28,J1 N0 .4011 9 P, 11
~12,NOV .2001 20 ;21
' COIN'FZDEN'I'TAL

-10-

CATALOGUE OP Lrs
Date Incident .411egation Fact
Sept US soldiers AI-Qaeda daimea tc'nave No Arnericans personnel have been
30 captured captured three U.S . commandos captured .
in Afghanistan
Oct B Civilian Taliban claimed to nave snot No aircraft were shot down . No
casualties- down <aircn_frthat%aakilled20 evidence of civil;an deaths .
Kaoui7 civiliars Targeted sites were n" ilitcry targ ets.
Oct B Damage and 4 UN empioyees were kilied oy Contract security guards sleeping in
deaths at UN crjisa mssila artack building were killed .
da-rri,nirig office
Oct 9 2nd day of air Taliban claimed 35 civilian No evidence to support this
strikes causaati=_s .
Oct 10 3rd day of Taliban put civii;an death toll at No evidence to support this
strikes ap to 70 with more than 100
mjurled
ON 11 Civll!an Spokesmen d,a~.mad at least 160 No -indioations thata village in i-hat
casualties - bodies had been removec. Says vlcin;ty was struck; targets were
Khorum village? 303 civilians dead . underground bunksr facility & t.:nnel
system
Oct 11 Civilian Taliban's aducatlon minister said No evidence to suopoC tnis
casualties- a family of 10, ,including women
Kabul? and cnilcren, were killed when
tneir house on the edge of Kabul
was targeted by a U S . m'ssile

Jalalabad He also said a mcs^yue in "They're using mosoues for

ta'osqLe Jalalanadwas cestroyec. oommand-and-control centres'
Rumsfelc 5th Nov
Cot 11 Total civlCan Talioan Ambassacor to Pakistan No evcence to suppor, this
casua:ties, claims U,S . is targzang civilians,
putting the civiiian death toll at
more 9:ar. 77.

Oct 1' Total civilian Tahban officials put the number AFP reported that' only five daaths
casualties9 of civilian deatris at more train could be confirmed and Tallban
300 . restrictions prevented lournal'ss
f-om mdepend=_nilyveri"ryirg Taiiban
claims .
Oct 12 Houses combed Taliban claim large numcer of An err-ant JDAM missed its ir,;endea
near Kabul c;viiian cas,.:alties in deliberate target (military helo) and landed in a
airport attack on residential area residential area about 1 mile frorn
the eh-port
;4 deaths ;unvenfied)

Oct 16 ICRC Warehouse des :royed by US Dod says at approxirnately d ;57

warehouse in bombs, secu-ity gua-d inlured a.m, =DT today, Tuesday, Oct. 1 e,
Kabul nii oy US GBU-16 1,000-pound bombs from
bombs a U.S, Navy F!A-18 Homet
inadvertently struck one or more

a Q. r- 11, In (1 I V
 N0 . 4019 P, 12
1j2 NOV. 2a01 20 ; 22 011 : S30 2831
CONFIDENTIAL

warehouses useo by tne

InternaConal Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) ir nc,~hem Ka t:ul,
Afghanistan . Milit=ry stores were
nearby.

Oct 17 Bus hit- Taliban eiairn bus hit near No evidence that any civilian vehicle
KFandanarl Khandaharwlth 18 crvilfan was struck at the reported locati on
casualties
Oct "9 '0tal civCian Taliban claim up to 900 dead or No evidence to suoport this
Casualties? missing after ra ds
Oct 20 Heficcp :er Talican darms to have shot oown "Absolu*.e!yfa:se. :" Myers 20 Oct.
Crash a US `^,e!icaorerwhich cashed in Debris turned out to be heiicootar
Pakistan undercarriage (see 22 Oct) .

Oct 21 'Hospitai" hit m Taliban claims more than 100 Mod says ouddlng suffered
Herat dead after US bombed hospital superficial damage . Talioanfgur=-
(occasional' repcrted as aid isgross ex2ggeration. US 2dmits
- ~'~--
people's ,home .) errant bomb .
Oct 22 US Irellcopter Tallban claim to have foucd The whee's shown on TV by Ta i i bar
pieces found pieces of a US hei'r.,opl.ar they officials wera lrom a L S . M'r-47
downed two nights ago . halicooter, During Friday nignt'a
mission, the helicopters main
landing gear came in contact with a
barner, which tore the wncels of .
The aircraft ccn:inued its miss,on
and returnee safaly . Thera was r,o
furti_r damage to the airc7aft arid
ro injuries to the .
:-8w
C
Oct 22 Chemical Taliban accused lhe US o-' Tnis is absolutely not true - US
Weapons deploying cnemical and DoS.
biological weapons in their
attempts to lush out OsaTa Sir.
Laderi .
De, 23 Herat Mosque Taliban claim US bomb `ell on a No evidenoa to support this
mosque in Ithe western oi .y of
Herat killing and injuring peop :e
inside .

Civii ;an Ai-.la<-eera says 93 peopie killed No evidence to suoport this

casuaIGes- & 40 wounded in an air raid on a
Kandahar~ village 60km ncrt.^east of
Kandahar on 23rd Oct
Oct 24 Civilian -aliban claim US planes bombed No evidence te supportthls
casualties- a scuLhern Afghan v,llage killing
sou;hern (2 people .
Afgnan'?

Oct 24 Total civilian Ta4iban claim civilian casualties No evidence to support this
casca:be;? total over 1,000 .

jes 2) (:,1 41(0 (0 2-.~1

 0171 930 2831 N0. 4 019 P. 13
12, NOV. 2001 20 : 22
C(1:VFYDENUAL

-I2-

Oct 24 Genocide? Taliban radio says "the United No evidence to support this
8tat>-s has begun war against the
oersscutec and ceienceless
peop e of Afghanistan -his war
couc be caked as a war of
genocide agains°, a nation"

Civilian AIP reports that in past 24 hours No evidence to support this

casua,lies - 70 civilians killed : .5 killed in
Kandahar, Kandahar [30 from Towghi
Towgh  Kabul village] ; 4 in Khar Khana [Kaoul
and Herat? district] ; 5 on Herat-Kandarar
road [see above], 3 32 in Herat

_ Civil an AFp has been able to confirm 25 No evidence to support this _

casualties - c:vlfian deaths in Kacul es a
Kaoul? result of repoding restnc.iens in
Afghanistan
Oct 25 US soldiers Taliben deputy foreign minister No evidence to suopa,: this
kIlled % tells Pakistani paper Jang that
100 Us commancos_r,ave
already been killed in
Afghanistan
Oct 25 Bus hit- Tal,ban claim US bombers hit a No evidence to support this
Ka,idahar? bus in Kandahar, kNinG -at east
10 clviiians
Oot 26 Journa is : arrest Talibar claim to have a-rested an No evidence to support this
-Kandahar American or European man, who
saia he was a jourraiist, In Soin
Bolaak, Kanda~ar Frovince
Oct 27 Red Cross hi;- Officials say Reo Cross Dod admits B-52 Bombers
Kaoul compcund n Kaou hi : for second iradve :ently drcpped 2,0001o bombs
time . cr, o-iareha~~se
Oct 27 Civil',ac Taliban's Bakntar news agency No evidence to support this
casualites- daims o' peocte r,dled and 12
N;shrab & injured ,n strikes around Nshrao
Tagab? and Tagab, north east of Kabw ;
but, Taliban offioai tells AF 9
people killed & 15 wounded in --
same area
Oc; 28 Totai civilian Taiiban's envoy :n :ells German No evidance to support this
casualdes? TV : The result of the aCaoks ;s
the deaths of more tnan 1,000
innocent civi ; ;ans and
considerable rnate-ial damage to
the country,
No evidence to support this
GviL,an Witnesses ciaim 13 people killed
casualties- iriareas of Kabul (AIP say
Kabul? number of deaths In 9, BBC
World report's ic as 'more than
10', with must from same famfly .)
No evidence to supporttnis
Oct 28 civilian AI-Muhaj ;roun, says four British
casulaites- Muslims died when a missiie hit a

r7 BG1 IL 1 00'3 4
12, NOV. 2001 20 :22 0171 930 2831 N0.4019 P . 14
CONFIDENTIAL

-i3-

Kabul? house ir ;Kabul

No evidence to support this
Civilian AIP say 2 people dead in
Casualties - Kandahar and one in IY9azar- E-
t:andahar? Shanf
No evidence to support this
Civilian CNN rapor'.s 25-ysar-old women
Casualties? killed in Northern Ati,ance-hela
village

C= 29 Kandahar Taliban clam mosque in Mod confirms this is not true . No air
mosque Kandaha; was hit m the early strikes occurred in the a-sa at the
hours of k-Soncay morning _ 6me al;eged.

Civilian AIP say one pe~son killed in- No evidence to supportinis

casualties - Herat Provlnce while 2 civilians
Fear', 8 killed in Kancahar
Kandahar'2
0" 30 American forces Taiiban clairrs to nave arrested Pentagon says no forces missing
arrestad Am.encans

Chemical Taliban -also c~air, US forces Simply not true

w'eaoon,s using chemical weapons after ,
4'dazir Akbar KhanSlio
hosoital cites
3 teenagers with ht injuries,
who then died frotr internal '
bleeding .

Qvilian AIP reports 2 deaths as JS No evidence to support tnis

casuali;es - `yomos hit area doze to Pakistan
Pakta, Kabul, & boreerin Paktia Province
Karcahar? overnight
AIP reports 3 oeoale In Kabul,
and 4 people in Kanda`iar among
those killed
Oct 31 7otal avilian Taliban ambassador to Paks'.an Simply untrue
cas'ilatiss claims total of 15CC killed since
star'of bombing

KandaharRed AI-Jaze>_ra raoo .rt bombs hit
Crescent clinic Kancahar clinuic- claims I'l
people killed, 25 seriously
injured.
Nov 1 Kajaki Dam Taliban says warplanes bombed
the Kajaki dam, in k' :Jmar~d
Province, inflicting heavy
damage, Water nas notstarted to
gush out y°_,, but If it starts to f1cw
tnousands of peopls will face the
threat of death .
US says building was a legi6mate
mvitary target, Hospital vAras
hundreds of yards away and
undamaged . Good example of
precision bombing
Mod says there's no evldenca to
support the claim that neither power
s.atlon were targeted or damaged i-i
any way,
;?+ NOV, 200' 20 : 22 0111 930 2831 N0, 4019 F. 15
cow-~-znErrTzAr,
-ra-

2 Nov Chem,cal A senior Afghan official acwsed The U.S . has never used chemical
weapons US forces of using chamica; wespor,s in Afghanistan (US CIC) .
weapons in their campaign
againstAfg hanistar.
2 ,Nov Flotless plane Taliuari claim to have shot down US Dod denied loss of plane
shot down? an aircraft withou ; a pilot ir ?aikh
province . Talibar, diaiT to have
forced-2 US planes to la-,d a'.
Kabul airport & that pilots ha .-d.d
over to autiorxies

4 Nov US Hal cccter Tafiban claim to have shot oown A US military special ;Orces
downec? US helicep:er (see c Nov) helicopter with escort was
d:spatched to retrieve an ill member
of the ASF. Rear Adm. Jonn
Stufflebeerr, said on Sts Nov Dcd
briefing ; "One ofthosehalhoopt-arz
had a nard landing in the
mountainous areas, clue to [;Y
conditions. That arcraft was
subseqaentlydestroyedby U .S .
forces to preveW. it from failing in the
hands of being used against us'
later, That crew was rescued by
another helicopter . A separate U_S .
Specal Forces mission nellcoptar
want in to retrieve the ailir,g mernher
that thoy originally were going to get
and brought him out safely."
5 Nov Arrest of US Tal?ban says it has arrested sp as No evidence to support tnts
military and Arrencar. soldiers Claims
that US has lost 95 so(diers in
total sirce sta' of hostilffies

Civii:an Tah6an claims 11 civllian eeaths No evidence to support *his

CasuelEles - in soi.th Iddtna Mzar Sharif
Mdina Mzar inoluding six individuals from a
Sharif? single family . In Kabul they claim
some Taliban fgnters and 3
c ;viiPars ware kii:ed.
6 .Nov US military Tne Islamic Afghan news agency Helicopter clown - but crew
casual :ies annonnced that a L S helicoptar escaped witnout Injury. (see 4th)
wen', down Suncay and --our of
the soldiers on board were k91ed

7 Nov JS military Islamabad, Nov 7, iRNA -All was No evidence to support this
casuiaties set to fly 1 E oody bags to the
United S%-.as `rom Quetta,
Balochistan's caoitsl, Peshawar-
based 'The Frontier Post' said
Wednescay.
The daily said that arrangements
had been finalized to fly home
18 dead oodies lying in a hosoital

eA cI ~- 113la?,z,
in Quetra . These bodies are of US
 N0, ?019 P . 16
j2. NOV, 2001 20 ;23 0171 930 2331
CO;VF'IDEhTi_9L

-15-

Speclal Forces hoo;.s who lost

their Irves on the course of the
campaign insideAfghanistarn .
It expla'nad, these troops had
died In action and not in accident.
7 Nov Civjllar~ Talican's 6akhtar news aoency No evldenca to support this
Casulaties - said that ten olxiians were killed
Kabul & in yesterday's h.S strike north
Jalaload Kabul and near JalalalOad
E Nov Afghai spies The Taleban say tee have
arrested? arrested 15 Afgcans in 'he
east [of Afghan!stan] on suspicion
of spying for the USn.
B Nov Qvi ian ,'alban mformaFion rninisters wno No evidence to support this
Casual;ies- told js 'hat there had been a v
Kabul? serlous heavy bcmbaramer,t over -
night from CS .. he said that 43
civilians had beer, Killed
8 Nov B-52 c2sn? Al-Jazeera ccrrespondent in Mod says there's no trut'n m this
Afghanistan cited Ariir Khan whatsover.
dvtotaqi ;-spokesmantorthe-
Talenan movement, as saying that
a US fighterjet, oefieved to be a
e,52, crashed in tne Pak:stanl
provmce of 5aluonestan close to
an Afghan refugee camn aftar
f'ying in the A!ghan airspace ,
9 Nov Kandahar Zaeef c,aims 1,5DC+ civilians No evidence to suppor'tnis,
bomoin5 tidec ana 200,00 forced from
homes, 10D US soid'e'$ killed , 8
planes crashed (Al-Jazee.-a iV)
11 Bombin9 a No ev~dence tc supDort tnis .
Nov marole factory
~2. NOV, 2001 20 ; 23 0111 930 2EI NO. 4019 P. 17
CONFIDENTIAL

-16-

I agehCrnar, BBC 10 0'Ciock News, 9`h Nove;r.b:r 200 ;

R

PRESENTER: A BBC team is uow in tlieAfghan capttoJ Kabul, the onlv Western bruadcastc;3 tlsere. Our
corespondent RageN Omar assesses ihe impact of the, war at, the city and irs peopie.

RAGEH OMAR : The call to dawn prayer across Kabul as US warplanes circled the citr). Through the
night vi+irrn coot era One rlnnerican jer-fires its nussle. With tlee plane caught in the glint offerst liolit,
Taleban drenners rc;~porrd, marefor d~fianee than for effect, their tracerfire c1(rnbing r.; e. uight sky.
Earl), morrnln; and the Iqbalfamily pick over tire destruction of their home. On Wednesday ntght, elr,rinr
heavy bonzbGrg, part of the fionie was left in ruins. Sorne kind of missile fore through the .-oof. Saidand
Saralask ma;ried just two nrnnihs a;n were killed es tJzey slepL Hidden ba7iind the screen ir. anotJzer part af
the house the bereaved women of rkefamilygathered to mourn. One of the faneitp's uncles wondere." d >alzy
ordinary R{b"hans were having to bear such an ordeal. Fs it be cause our blood is worth less than I rraerican
and British blood, he asked. - -
We made Our way across Kabul's broken Streets, This is the result of neariy 23 years of war. r4 whole
generation has grown up here with the total absence ofpeace, the same generation that makes uo virtually all
of the Talebarr's figJrters,

The Red Cross hospital receives its latest Patierzt The question of civilian casualties L one of the key
consroversies-ofth$ conflzct,-but-herrin-ihe interiszve caf:unitiresawcasualfissfoi ourselves. ef:e
international carnpaign to exactTrastice for September ; I"' has maimed this seven year old boy.
DOCTOR: This pacient needs also eye doctor, but we don't have in this hospital eye doctor, and today I
ask the cye do~tors to comc to treat his eye also.
z20: The Tnleban showed us the Red Cross de notbombed twice hymistake. I's been almost two weeks air.ce
American warplanea bombed the Red Cross warehouse: here it: Kabul, but even now the wreckage is stidl
smoulde^ing. Esserntialfood supplies lie burnine. These cJ:ildren are waiting outside the borrrbe.d warehouse
hoping to gather the food that wa:r:'i destro,ped and all thLs in one offhe poorest cottritries on earth- The ncYt
generation ofA,ighans ere now having :o cope wilh the waste of enorF,er car.fict

Pa.-eh Ornar, BBC,Yews, jCabuL