AL-KHALIL, West Bank, August 19 (IslamOnline.net) - The
brother of Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana said he was deliberately
murdered for discovering mass graves of U.S. troops killed in Iraqi
resistance attacks.
"The U.S. troops killed my brother in cold blood," Nazmi Dana
told IslamOnline.net in exclusive statements.
"The U.S. occupation troops shot dead my brother on purpose,
although he was wearing his press badge, which was also emblazoned
on the car he was driving," he said.
He also recalled that his brother had obtained a prior permit
from the U.S. occupation authorities in Iraq to film in the
site.
His last pictures show a U.S. tank driving toward him outside
the prison walls, several shots ring out from the tank and the
camera falls to the ground.
Mass Grave
"Mazen told me by phone few days before his death that he
discovered a mass grave dug by U.S. troops to conceal the bodies of
their fellow comrades killed in Iraqi resistance attacks," Nazmi
said.
"He also told me that he found U.S. troops covered in plastic
bags in remote desert areas and he filmed them for a TV program. We
are pretty sure that the American forces had killed Mazen knowingly
to prevent him from airing his finding."
Nazmi said that the U.S. occupation troops were slowing down
the transfer of his brother’s body to his hometown city of Al-Khalil
(Hebron) in the West Bank.
"At the very beginning, the Americans refused to transfer his
body outside Iraq. After Reuters intervened they offered to allow us
to take the body to Jordan by road but we refused because of the
state of insecurity in Iraq," he said.
"Thanks to Reuters international and diplomatic contacts, the
U.S. troops reluctantly agreed to transfer the body on an army plane
to Kuwait. From there, the body will be flown to Jordan and finally
Palestine to be laid to rest," added the grieved
brother.
Last Mission
Mazen's wife, Umm Hamza, did not rule out that the U.S.
troops targeted her husband personally, noting they had agreed to
give him a permit to film Abu Gharib prison and then he was directly
shot dead by two U.S. tanks.
Resolved as she was, Umm Hamza said the death of her husband
came as a bombshell, especially that she expected him to be killed
while covering the developments in Palestine for his bravery and
rare heroism.
"Filming Abu Gharib was his last mission; he was scheduled to
leave Baghdad after getting the job done.
"I lost the dearest man to my heart, he was caring and was
loved by all his friends and relatives," she lamented.
Settlers' Enemy
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Palestinian
journalists hold a mock funeral for Mazen
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Mazen’s camera was the Israeli settlers' archenemy, given
that he exposed to the entire world their terrorism against the
Palestinians and their wildcat outposts sprawling in four Al-Khalil
posts.
His death cast a pall of sadness over the Palestinian
territories and reporters, who mourned him as "a matchless
colleague."
All international and local news agencies sent cables of
condolences to his family, lauding his patriotism and determination
to uncover the truth wherever it was.
The Palestinian information ministry and press syndicate
issued two separate statements, condemning the attack on Mazen and
the continued targeting of journalists.
The two statements demanded the U.S. to show some respect for
human beings, particularly reporters, pointing out that Mazen was a
distinguished journalist who did his best to serve his country and
cause.
The ministry further urged all Arab and international press
unions "to open a probe into this crime and expose to the entire
world the murderers who have blood on their hands and put them on
trial."
Colleagues Mourn
Furthermore, dozens of Palestinian journalists protested on
Tuesday morning in Al-Khalil at the killing of Mazen.
The marchers put on a peaceful demonstration from the House
of the Palestinian Press established by the deceased and other
journalists.
In Bethlehem, journalists also held a mock funeral for Mazen,
denouncing the U.S. occupation of Iraq and displaying placards
condemning his "assassination."
