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From MetaFilter:
Yesterday, Mazen al-Tomasi, a reporter for Al-Arabiya, was broadcasting live from the scene of a carbombed Bradley Fighting Vehicle, which had attracted a crowd of locals. While making his report, a sudden noise came from behind Mazen.

Two Apache helicopters flew in overhead, and one of them started attacking the crowd, with their guns. The crowd, which included several small children, tried to run away. A helicopter launched a missile...

Mazen al-Tomasi was struck by shrapnel from the blast on live television. His cameraman, Seif Fouad, fell down from the force of the explosion. Mazen's blood spattered across the camera's lens and the screams of the dying and injured were heard. Mazen screamed to Seif for help: "Seif, Seif! I'm going to die. I'm going to die."

Seif grabbed Mazen and started to pull him out of harm's way. Suddenly, another missile was launched, and Seif was hit by shrapnel in the leg and abdomen. Seif, seriously wounded, watched his friend Mazen die soon afterwards. Twelve were killed, 61 wounded in the attack.

A US military spokesman said the helicopters opened fire after coming under attack from the crowd, and that they fired to prevent looters from stripping the vehicle. That said, the vehicle was burning too badly to be stripped, and the television footage showed no evidence of any shooting from the ground, or indeed, any armed Iraqis whatsoever. The full video of this is was seen by millions of Arabs and is apparently something that Reuters has the rights to -- Saif works for Reuters -- but something tells me that it will never make the evening news.

Comments (Page 3)
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on Oct 16, 2004
I just viwed the video link provided. As an American man and a Catholic I feel very sorry for the innocents who lost their lives in that incident. However I am extremely sorry for the crew of the Bradley. I was deployed in Iraq, fought from south to north and witnessed many, many things. It is very apparent that Iraqis just love to crowd around destroyed American equipment, both to celabrate ( the thought of it makes me sick, but I shouldn't be suprised, these people are ruthless.) and simply to be seen on telivision.
People die in war, combatants and non-combatants alike. That is the price of war on humanity. In this situation however, actually in all of Iraq, the Iraqis who come out to see and celebrate the destruction and possable desacration of our soldiers bodys, I don't feel too much pity. I agree with most of the above posts. The Iraqis should not be crowding around a destroyed vehicle, its no secret that our forces ALWAYS come to claim the bodys of the fallen and if not, destroy the vehicle to prevent any sensiteve items to be stolen. They heard the apaches approach, no one moved. Big mistake. And if, IF, the reports are true that the aircrew were taking fire from the crowd, then the innocent, ignorant people in that crowd should have run away as soon as any insurgents begain to fire on our aircraft. Common sense tells you that we will fire back, one dead American is still one of our nations best dead and nothing, no one, will just let it happen because "innocent" people are around.
thats my view anyway/
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