Wednesday - September 12, 2001
Jerusalem Post

(14:00) Report: Armed Palestinians threatened photojournalists

Reports indicate armed Palestinians trapped foreign 
photojournalists inside a Nablus hotel late yesterday while 
thousands took to the streets in celebration of the terror 
attacks in the United States. 

The journalists were reportedly forced to remain confined in 
the hotel, guarded by armed Palestinians - both in uniform and 
wearing civilian clothes - while the festivities continued in 
the streets. 

At least one photographer who did manage to capture images of 
the celebrations was told his life would be in danger if the 
pictures were eventually published. 

Palestinian Police confiscates footage at Gaza rally
Jerusalem Post Staff and Ap

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JERUSALEM (September 16) - About 1,500 Palestinians, many 
supporters of Hamas, marched in a Gaza Strip refugee camp Friday, 
burning Israeli flags and carrying a large poster of Osama bin 
Laden, an exiled Saudi millionaire who US Secretary of State 
Colin Powell has named a key suspect in last week's terror 
attacks in the United States. 

After the rally, plainclothes Palestinian policemen questioned 
several journalists, including members of foreign news agencies, 
and confiscated videotape, film, and other camera equipment. 
An Associated Press Television News video was among the materials 
taken, and an AP photographer was warned by officials not to 
publish pictures of the bin Laden poster. 

AP protested and demanded the return of the video and other 
material. 

The journalists were told police would review the material before 
deciding whether or not to release it. 

Palestinian Authority officials refused to comment on the record 
and did not respond immediately to AP's protest. 

The Palestinian Police said in a statement that the rally in the 
Nusseirat refugee camp took place without a permit. 

"The Palestinian Police confiscated media material which documented 
illegal acts," the statement said. 

Earlier last week, Palestinian Police stopped camera teams and 
photographers from covering a rally in Nablus in which several 
thousand Palestinians celebrated the attacks in the US. 
Palestinian officials said the demonstration did not represent 
widespread Palestinian opinion. 

According to one source, the Reuters correspondent in Nablus 
not only agreed to the PA demand not to document the rally, 
but attempted to press his AP counterpart to follow suit. 
He was unable to reach him in time. The AP cameraman later 
received death threats.