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War Blog
By FrontPage Magazine
FrontPageMagazine.com | December 29, 2004
NAVY SEALS SUE ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=16480
Six Navy SEALs are suing the Associated Press for publishing personal
photographs (presumably without releases) that revealed the SEALs
identities, as part of another trumped-up prisoner abuse story. (Hat
tip: leftcoaster.)
NEW YORK Six Navy SEALs and two of their wives filed a lawsuit
against The Associated Press and one of its reporters today for
allegedly revealing their identities in photos published in early
December, according to a press release from the plaintiffs.
The complaint, filed in California Superior Court, alleges that AP
reporter Seth Hettena obtained a photograph in a personal Web site
maintained by one of the wives of the Navy SEALs, which contains
personal photographs.
None of the plaintiffs are named in the lawsuit, a copy of which was
obtained by E&P. They are represented by attorney James W. Huston of
San Diego.
Hettena allegedly removed photos from that site and published them on
December 4, 2004, in a story stating that the pictures could be the
earliest evidence of possible prisoner abuse in Iraq, the plaintiffs
contend. The SEALs argue that the pictures actually depict special
warfare operators standard procedures during covert operations. The
Iraqis shown being captured in the photographs were leaders of
anti-coalition attacks and Saddam loyalists.
AP Director of Corporate Communications Ellen Hale declined to comment
immediately to E&P, but said she would look into the matter.
There was no need for the AP to publish the faces of the SEALs,
Huston, the Morrison & Foerster partner who is heading the plaintiffs
legal team, said in a statement. They added nothing to the value of
the story. In fact, the SEALs showed more respect for the insurgents
and terrorists that they were apprehending by obscuring their faces
than the AP did for the Navy SEALs who were in Iraq risking their
lives, he added.
Since the photos were released, they have been published widely in the
Arab Press, including on Al Jazeera, the plaintiffs claim. Tuesday,
December 28, 2004
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