Indo stirs up a bit of fear

national | arts and media | opinion/analysis Monday August 14, 2006 05:58 by Majik ourmaninvan at yahoo dot com

Sunday Independent stirs up a bit of fear with sensationalist and incorrect reporting.

The Sunday Independent's 13/08 edition has a full front page spread that deals with the current 'Terror' alert and the implications for Ireland. It goes on to state that one of the suspects that is currently held in London spent time here in Dublin. The story goes onto state security and emergency inplications if the alleged attack took place, considering Irish airspace is a primary transit area for trans-atlantic flights.

In an attempt to stoke up a bit of controversy, the Indo states Irish intelligent services are under resources. It also states that bomb squads, emergency services could not cope in the event of such attack.

However the coup de grâce was a lone paragraph sandwiched between all this sensationalist journalism. It read:

" The only two aircraft destroyed by bombs in flight, Pan Am 103 in December 1988 and Air India 182 in June 1985, were both destroyed within 100 miles of Irish airspace."

This as most informed people will tell you is an utter lie. Considering the matter-of-fact way it was stated, and the emphasis placed on it, as it stood as a lone paragraph, points to an effort by the unnamed journalist to hammer home this false fact.

There have been over 15 documented and verified instances of in-flight explosions which have totally destroyed aircraft, the most recent of which included the near simultaneous destruction of two Russian airliners by Chechen suicide bombers in August 2004. Other notable instances include the destruction of Korean Air flight 858 in November 1987 by a liquid, yes liquid bomb. Liquid bombs are not a sly new threat by terrorists. The list goes on and includes Cuban, American and European airlines.

To state that the only two aircraft ever to be destroyed in flight did so in or near Irish airspace is tantamount to fear mongering. In this climate of government induced fear it would be prudent of this newspaper to verify its facts and publish a correction. To mis-inform and confuse the public is a main aim of those engaged in war, last time I checked Ireland was neutral state.

I sent a version of my above comments to the editor. I wait.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=...14484

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Airliner_bombings