Fox News Reports: Pro-Gaddafi Used Journalists As Human Shields (Update)

More discouraging news out of Libya: Fox News is reporting that forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi essentially used journalists from CNN and Reuters as “human shields,” successfully thwarting an attack by British forces. Update- CNN’s Nic Robertson calls this report outrageous and absolutely hypocritical.”

Yesterday, following a British submarine attack, the Libyan Ministry of Information invited several reporters and a video crew out to the impacted area under the guise of showing them damage from the recently fired Tomahawk missiles. Some journalists elected not to go, allegedly fearful that their presence would be used to stave off attack.

British forces were then forced to call off any further attacks (Tornado fighter plans were set to drop missiles on Gaddafi’s compound in Tripoli), lest they injure or kill any of the journalists. The Libyan Ministry of Information also brought out a group of civilians to the area for the same purpose.

The incident brings up several interesting questions about the role of journalists covering warfare: Is there such a thing as being too on-the-scene?

Update: CNN’s Nic Robertson is now claiming as false Fox News’ report that he (and others) were used as a “human shield” by Libyan government forces in an effort to thwart a missile attack by British forces “outrageous and absolutely hypocritical.”

Here’s more, courtesy of Fox News:

h/t Business Insider

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