Unknown gunmen launched coordinated attacks on several Iraqi newspaper headquarters, injuring some employees and damaging furniture, newspaper employees said. They say this is the first time newspapers have been targeted this way. (April 2)
SHOTLIST:
AP TELEVISION – AP CLIENTS ONLY
Baghdad – April 2, 2013
1. Wide exterior of Addustour newspaper headquarters in Baghdad’s Karrada neighbourhood
2. Mid of entrance to Addustour newspaper headquarters with smashed windows
3. Sign reading (Arabic and English) “Addustour”
4. Broken glass at entrance to building
5. Employees inside headquarters, seen through broken window
6. Pile of partially-burnt newspapers
7. Various close-ups of newspapers in pile, some charred
9. Pile damaged computers
10. Various of employee tidying office
11. Damaged and overturned chairs
12. Wide of Addustour newspaper’s Secretary-Editor Yasser Talal looking at pile of damaged and burnt newspapers
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yasser Talal, Secretary-Editor of Addustour Newspaper:
“About 50 gunmen attacked our newspaper headquarters yesterday night and beat the employees, stabbing two of them with knives in addition to setting fire to the newspaper headquarters and damaging its furniture and computers.”
14. Talal seen through damaged and broken glass of entrance
STORYLINE:
IN BAGHDAD … GUNMEN LAUNCH ATTACKS ON SEVERAL IRAQI NEWSPAPER OFFICES … INJURING SOME EMPLOYEES AND DAMAGING EQUIPMENT.
SOME OF THE GUNMEN … DISGUISED IN MILITARY UNIFORMS.
(NATS UP Arabic)
THIS EDITORIAL STAFF MEMBER SAYS …
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Yasser Talal, Secretary-Editor of Addustour Newspaper:
“About 50 gunmen attacked our newspaper headquarters yesterday night and beat the employees, stabbing two of them with knives in addition to setting fire to the newspaper headquarters and damaging its furniture and computers.”
GLASS … SMASHED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THIS INDEPENDENT DAILY NEWSPAPER. PARTIALLY BURNED NEWSPAPERS SPREAD OVER THE GROUND.
STAFF MEMBERS SAY THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IRAQI NEWSPAPERS HAVE BEEN TARGETED IN THIS WAY.
LEE POWELL, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
