Minister not targeted by gunmen, Libyan media must check facts, says Ministry

Tripoli, 28 October 2013:

The Ministry of Martyrs and Missing People has called upon Libyan journalists to verify stories before publishing them, . . .[restrict]after a national TV station reported that a minister had escaped an assassination attempt.

Alassema TV reported the assassination attempt on Minister of Martyrs and Missing People, Ali Gadour on Saturday. However, the Media Manager of the ministry, Hamdi Al-Alam, told the Libya Herald that Gadour’s car was merely struck by a stray bullet during a local gunfight.

“What was reported on private Libyan TV stations was incorrect,” Alam said. “There was fighting in the street where Gadour lives and his car was damaged during an exchange of gunfire.” The incident had nothing to do with the minister, he added.

Alam said that unfortunately the Libyan media had not sought to check with the Ministry before publishing the report. He called upon the country’s media to be more thorough and always verify stories from original sources, to avoid misreporting and fuelling the country’s very active rumour mill. [/restrict]