BBC Bias - and an expert contributor (part 2)

I blogged yesterday about the BBC's often used Middle East expert - Abd Al-Bari Atwan and his comments that "by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar Square,and dance with delight if the Iranian missiles strike Israel." The BBC responded to criticisms of their use of Abd Al-Bari Atwan by saying that editors make decisions based on the following BBC guidelines. “We should not automatically assume that academics and journalists from other organizations are impartial and make it clear to our audience when contributors are associated with a particular viewpoint.”

It would appear that Mr Abd Al-Bari Atwan is not a stranger to such remarks and that moderate Muslim journalists have concerns about his outbursts. Thanks to Shield of Achilles for drawing our attention to the following.

"Munir Al-Mawari, a moderate Arab journalist wrote of Atwan: "The Abd Al-Bari Atwan [appearing] on CNN is completely different from the Abd Al-Bari Atwan on the Al-Jazeera network or in his Al-Quds Al-Arabi daily. On CNN, Atwan speaks solemnly and with total composure, presenting rational and balanced views. This is in complete contrast with his fuming appearances on Al-Jazeera and in Al-Quds Al-Arabi, in which he whips up the emotions of multitudes of viewers and readers. Abd Al-Bari Atwan is part of the problem… and our problem is that it is not only America that we hate. Our Arab societies are societies of hate; we were raised to hate each other even before we hated others…""