On September 24, 2008, the Syrian TV channel Al-Rai reported on MEMRI's activities, presenting MEMRI as a research institute that acts in the service of U.S. authorities, with the aim of closing down Arab media outlets. Al-Rai referred in particular to MEMRI TV Clip No. 1854 (http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1854), a report on an Al-Rai TV program that aired footage of terrorist attacks on U.S. forces, like the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Iraqi TV channel Al-Zawraa did in the past.
The following are excerpts from the September 24 Al-Rai report.
To view this clip, visit http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1863.
Al-Rai TV Airs Excerpts from MEMRI TV
Anchor: "Journalistic investigations conducted by the editorial department of Al-Rai TV revealed that an Israeli institute for media studies, which is supported by the Israeli Mossad, is behind the decision of the U.S. Department of the Treasury to include Al-Rai TV on the terror list and to impose economic sanctions on it, a decision that was made several days ago.
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"The MEMRI website, which belongs to an Israeli institute specializing in the research of Middle Eastern media, published a study about Al-Rai TV and its airing of a program on the Iraqi resistance against the U.S. occupation.
"The Israeli institute also said that Al-Rai TV aired programs about the lives of people described by this website as supporters of terrorism, such as DFLP Secretary-General Nayyef Hawatmeh and Salah Omar Al-Ali, a minister under the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
"MEMRI's TV website aired excerpts from the program 'Harvest of the Resistance,' translated into the English language. We would like to show you the excerpts that were broadcast by the Israeli institute."
Screening of excerpts from MEMRI TV Clip No. 1854. (To view the full clip, visit http://www.memri.org/legacy/clip/1854.)
Al-Rai: MEMRI Has "Previously Published Studies and Reports Which Led The U.S.... to Impose Sanctions Against Many Arab and Islamic Institutions"
Anchor: "We notice that the excerpt posted on this website was free of any distortion of the footage, even though when Al-Rai TV aired this program, its transmission was subject to serious disruption. Even though this program was rebroadcast twice, we did not manage to air it completely with such quality as the Israeli institute did.
"This proves that an Israeli or American intelligence agency is behind the intentional distortion of Al-Rai TV's transmission, which was acknowledged in the report of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
"It should be noted that the Israeli MEMRI institute previously published studies and reports which led the U.S. administration to impose sanctions against many Arab and Islamic institutions and individuals in the Middle East. This institute is based in Washington, and it has offices in occupied Jerusalem, as well as in Tokyo and London. The institute has recently opened a new office in Baghdad, after the U.S. occupation took over the city."
