[oxinsnepe]

05-29-2012 16:20 BJT | The Telegraph



BBC News knowingly used (with disclaimer) a photo taken in Iraq in 2003 to illustrate the recent Houla massacre in Syria
which has drawn sharp criticism from the international community, The Telegraph reported.

The photo was taken by professional photographer Marco di Lauro on Mar.27, 2003, showing a young Iraqi child jumping
over dozens of white body bags containing skeletons found in a desert south of Baghdad. However, BBC posted it yesterday
under the headline "Syria massacre in Houla condemned as outrage grows".

The caption of the picture was: "The image—which cannot be independently verified—is believed to show the bodies of
children in Houla awaiting burial."

Di Lauro said he nearly "fell off his chair" when he saw the image being used, and said he was "astonished" at the failure
of the corporation to check their sources.

"What I am really astonished by is that a news organization like the BBC doesn't check the sources and it's willing to
publish any picture sent it by anyone activist, citizen journalist or whatever."

Di Lauro also said that compared to the lack in standards, he was less concerned about BBC's failure to apologize for
the incident or the use of the image without his consent.

A BBC spokesman said they were aware of the image being widely circulated on the internet in the early hours of this
morning following the most recent atrocities in Syria. And they used it with a clear disclaimer saying it could
not be independently verified.