The Religious Policeman

Two BBC men shot in Saudi capital

BBC cameraman Simon Cumbers has been killed and security correspondent Frank Gardner seriously injured in a gun attack in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

One dead, one critical. My thoughts and prayers, and I am sure of all readers, for these victims and their families, and for all the victims of our Civil war, be they Muslim, Hindu, Christian, no religion, Western, Eastern, Arab, workers, security forces, civilians, men, women, children, whoever. May Allah, God, bring them comfort and rest. May he also bring an end to this increasing insanity wrought by the Devil and his forces.

Sad that on this occasion, the BBC were targetted. The BBC also gets verbally attacked from many sides. The verbal attacks are fine with me; when the BBC is getting attacked from all sides of the political spectrum, it means that it is reporting fearlessly, and is achieving the right balance. I get annoyed with the BBC sometimes. However I couldn't do without the BBC News on our satellite channel. Sometime it's the only thing that keeps me sane. CNN is OK but tends to be a bit bland. The BBC has bite, and there's lots that needs biting. I will cherish a "Hard Talk" interview with Mrs Milosevich to the end of my days. I look forward to the "Hard Talk" with Prince Nayif or Prince Abdullah or any of the ambassadors about the "Zionist backing" of our Civil war, I'm sure Tim Sebastian won't let them off the hook as others have done. And then they'll accuse the BBC of bias. Fine.