The BBC is under fire for risking the safety of soldiers in Iraq after its web site requested people to report troop movements. The Daily Telegraph writes:
Last night the BBC confirmed the wording of the request was: “Are you in Iraq? Have you seen any troop movements? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC, you can do so using the form below.”
The BBC confirmed last night that this form of words had appeared on the website from “late morning” until early afternoon.
“It was down by 2pm,” The Daily Telegraph was told.
A spokesman was unable to offer a detailed explanation of why anyone at the BBC should be seeking such information or whether any details on troop movements had been received.
He refused to identify who put the message up but said that “the journalist” responsible had been reminded that “this is not a form of words we would use”.
The BBC‘s Vicky Taylor admitted that the wording was a mistake and apologized. Speaking of BBC apologies ….
