Iraqi Newsmen Killed By Insurgents

Whenver some lefty newspaper person alleges US soldiers deliberately target journalists -- an allegation disproved time and again -- it gets big play.

Contrast that with this Reuters story, reporting on three journalists' death at the hands of insurgents, all in seven short paragraphs.

It's particularly signficant because two of the journalists worked for an Iraqi paper that is a champion for freedom and democracy -- yet it's a virtual non-story to the mainstream media.

An Iraqi editor was killed outside his Mosul home on Tuesday, the third journalist murdered in Iraq in four days, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported on Wednesday.

The New York-based group said Firas Maadidi, 40, was the Mosul bureau chief for As-Saffir and chief editor of the local daily Al-Masar. He was killed after being shot six times, including two shots to the head, As-Saffir Deputy Editor Slayhe Jowiree told CPJ.

Maadidi died hours later in hospital, the statement said.

Maadidi is the second journalist affiliated with the daily newspaper As-Saffir to be killed in Iraq this week, CPJ said.

CPJ said that Iraqi journalists view the Baghdad-based newspaper as one that has sought to educate Iraqis on the importance of Iraq's new constitution and upcoming elections. Local journalists also say the newspaper has characterized insurgent attacks against Iraqi civilians as terrorist operations.

On Saturday, Hind Ismail, a reporter for As-Saffir was murdered by a single bullet to the head. Fakher Haider, an Iraqi journalist who worked for The New York Times, was abducted on Sunday night and found dead on Monday.

Since the Iraq conflict began in March 2003, 56 journalists have been killed. CPJ said two-thirds of those killed have been Iraqi journalists.

h/t media bistro