Regular readers will recall our link to the gory tale of the killing of a Chinese democracy activist reported in the Guardian which turned out to be hysterical (the guy was beaten but not killed.) The Daily Ablution has more on the reporter, who fits a profile of sorts:
Today’s Private Eye, making explicit comparisons with the Dilpazier Aslam affair – to which the Eye has gleefully alluded at least three times – raises some interesting points concerning Mr. Joffe-Walt’s background.
Of course, it comes as no surprise to learn that the Guardian foreign correspondent, who has 18 months of experience as a professional journalist, was moved to act as a “human shield” in Iraq (he found the experience “very stressful”). Like Mr. Joffe-Walt’s dissociation from the real world, such sentiments are to be expected in the Guardian newsroom.
What’s of more concern is the reporter’s avowed support for a terrorist organisation (does this sound familiar?). In an interview with Newsweek magazine, he reveals that:
“I support the Earth Liberation Front. I think what they do is morally defendable as long as they don’t kill people. That’s the principle of direct action.”
The ELF, a group of serial arsonists, caused over $43m worth of damage in 600 attacks between 1996 and 2002 (PDF), when FBI named them the largest and most active terrorist group in the US. They remain active.
I wish we could say we were surprised by this, but after the Dilpazier Aslam affair we put nothing past the Grauniad.