CBS, NBC Newscasts Give Scant Coverage to Muslim Terror Attack at German Airport

By Alex Fitzsimmons | March 03, 2011 | 13:45

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Two US airmen were killed by a Muslim terrorist in Germany yesterday, but neither CBS nor NBC thought it worthy of more than 30 seconds of coverage on their evening newscasts Wednesday night.

While ABC devoted a full segment of the March 2 "World News" to the issue, the CBS "Evening News" and the NBC "Nightly News" offered only scant news briefs and buried the story deep into their broadcasts.

"Troops under attack in Germany, targeted by a gunman shouting in Arabic about jihad," intoned ABC anchor Diane Sawyer, introducing the segment.

In their brief reports, neither CBS nor NBC mentioned that the suspected gunman uttered "jihad, jihad" during his fatal rampage.

On the other hand, Martha Raddatz, ABC senior foreign affairs correspondent, reported that the alleged gunman, Arid Uka, opened fire on a bus carrying US airmen at a German airport, killing two and injuring two more while screaming God is great in Arabic and chanting "jihad, jihad."

In contrast to the ABC report, which appeared toward the top of the broadcast, NBC anchor Brian Williams and CBS anchor Katie Couric spent less than 30 seconds each discussing the tragic act of terror and stuffed it between other news briefs near the middle of the broadcast.

The following is Williams's news brief, which occurred more than 10 minutes into the broadcast:

Two members of the US Air Force, on their way to Afghanistan, were killed. Two others badly injured today, when a gunman opened fire on a US military bus at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. A 21-year-old man was arrested at the scene. Relatives said he is a German Muslim who worked at the airport. German police aren't ready to call this an act of terrorism but they so far aren't ruling it out either.

Couric's coverage, which was also presented roughly 10 minutes into the half-hour broadcast, was similarly terse:

In other news, 13 U.S. airmen headed to Afghanistan came under attack today in Germany. They were on a shuttle bus at the Frankfurt Airport when a gunman opened fire. Two of the Americans were killed, two others wounded. German police arrested an airport employee, 21-year-old Arid Uka. His family describes him as a devout Muslim. The police say he had argued with the airmen just before the shooting.

A full transcript of ABC's coverage can be found below:

ABC
World News
March 2, 2011

6:35 p.m. EST

DIANE SAWYER: And now, what happened today to American Air Force. Troops under attack in Germany, targeted by a gunman shouting in Arabic about jihad. President Obama vowed to get justice. Here's Martha Raddatz.

MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC senior foreign affairs correspondent: The Air Force bus was parked just outside the international terminals. On board, at least a dozen US Air Force security personnel who arrived from England on their way to a US. base in Germany. According to law enforcement officials, the gunman walked up to the bus, pulled out a semi-automatic weapon and began firing again and again, all the while, shouting "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar," Arabic for God is great. Two airmen were killed, including a driver, and two more critically injured, when after nine rounds, the gun jammed. Some of the surviving airmen grabbed the shooter as he continued shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "jihad, jihad." A German police officer then took the man into custody.

BARACK OBAMA, president of the United States: I'm saddened and outraged by this attack. I want everybody to understand that we will spare no effort in learning how this outrageous act took place.

RADDATZ: Law enforcement officials say the shooter is 21-year-old Arid Uka, whose parents moved to Germany decades ago from Kosovo. An uncle told the Associated Press he is a devout Muslim who worked at the Frankfurt Airport. Security had been beefed up at the airport after an informant said a group linked to al-Qaeda was planning to gun down civilians in a public place. The FBI is still looking into this shooter's background or to see if there was a larger plot. But Diane, thus far, they have no indications of that.

SAWYER: All right, Martha, thanks tonight.

--Alex Fitzsimmons is a News Analysis intern at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.

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Comments

Is it paranoia or worse?

Submitted by jon_torlin on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:01pm.

This might seem kinda paranoid, but why would the LSM work so hard at not saying it was a Muslim terrorist unless they've been approached before by CAIR or the Muslim Brotherhood who apparently have been around for a long time with a long reach? Every freaking time something happens, it's either some liberal wacko(like Arizona) or it's a Muslim terrorist.

I'd almost suspect that there has to be an unknown(to the public) threat to these places and their CEOs and they are trying to appease them as much as possible.

Kinda like making a deal with the devil.

-Jon

Thank God he got 30 secs...

Submitted by Paul G on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:06pm.

because If he had also been holding a SEIU sign, there wouldn't have been ANY coverage lol

Paul that was great & oh so

Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:21pm.

Paul that was great & oh so true! I am surprised that they don't defend the shooter and say he jjust wants his freedom and the "American Dream," (decoded = socialist dream/or in this case Muslim State).

-- Maximusbraveheart -- Is TRUTH knowable? Moral Relativism is the abandonment of Truth. Truth is knowable. Truth conforms to Reality. Reality is observable by evidence & witness in this day & from history. Relativism is Sesame Street play land.

Love how ABC grants this scum

Submitted by rwesley2.0 on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:10pm.

Love how ABC grants this scum every designation but "terrorist". Wonder why they didn't have that same type of hesitancy when reporting about Jared Loughner?

They did!

Submitted by Janey on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:53pm.

Actually, Good Morning America (ABC) used the term "terrorist attack" in their coverage this morning. I noticed it because I was shocked that they not only said "terrorist" but "Islamic". WIll wonders never cease...

Kudos to ABC then. They must

Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:57pm.

Kudos to ABC then. They must be reading NB & realize we are not taking to their ***p reporting very well anymore. If you want to stay in business and have a free country to live in, I suggest they start doing their duty to report the facts and how that affects our great Country.

I saw this on Fox News

Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:59pm.

Wednesday afternoon on Megyn Kelly's show. She had a young guy on that had been in the Bush administration. This guy was jumping through hoops to keep from allowing even the idea that the shooter was a Muslim jihadist. Megyn finally got tired of him and went to commercial. It was almost as if she was talking to Shep Smith.

President Obama is a Muslim (from his own lips), Kenyan (read it from his publicist) a homosexual (read it on a news magazine cover) and a Socialist (I'm alive and can see it for myself)

So how much time are they spending on the Charlie

Submitted by Lipton on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:12pm.

Sheen addiction freak show in comparison to how much time they spend on our murdered soldiers?

I think the Charlie Sheen interviews are in poor taste and they are trotting out a sick man for ratings. It is more sick than the Truman Show, IMO, but they can't be troubled to bring us the story of how these men were gunned down.

I'd like to thank Hollywood for renewing my interest in reading.

Lipton that is some great

Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:23pm.

Lipton that is some great insight! Absolutely true!

There is another side to

Submitted by bassndude on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:15pm.

There is another side to this. Germany has gun control laws out the wazoo...hard to even buy a rifle in that country. Near impossable, a little easier for a shot gun. Mostly single or double barrell varity. To buy or own or posess a hand gun in that country, you almost must be law enforcement or military.

So, as in other countries, how did he get one and where did it come from? This is more proof gun control don't work.

If this was not terrorism, what was it?

Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!

My city does not allow

Submitted by stratman on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 6:54pm.

My city does not allow handguns with more than 10 shot magazine. Wouldn't have made one wit of difference in these murders since the gun malfunctioned at nine rounds.

Jon, because they are all

Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:33pm.

Joh, because they are all progressive (= socialist) media silly! They are working for the downfall of the "Capitalist pig America." The socialist media are on this fixated agenda.

Enemies of your enemies are your friends. Therefore by liberal media logic, the jihadist are their spiritual friends (they likely don't even recognize this themselves) because they hate America as it stands. They don't like that we are indeed a Christian Nation based on our history and laws, that we are Capitalists, and we love freedom. They HATE all that, so they are willing to overlook details such as relevant facts.

Never mind that once we are an Islamic State, they will eventually kill, indimidate or drive out liberal journalists with 99% probability. So much for their socialist, atheist, self-pleasuring, self-god dream then!

Why do Couric et al insist on always including "devout"

Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:21pm.

when describing these fiends?

Since the subject is always murder, then isn't this a condemnation of "the religion of peace?"

"He killed because he is so devoted" is crazy.

I am very glad they say

Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:26pm.

I am very glad they say devout! I am surprised they didn't edit it out! It gets to the truth! Muslims who don't do this are infidels also per the truely devout Muslims. They are comanded to do this and will be rewarded. It is an honor don't you know! It is to them and the media just keep covering for them! Now that is a crime also!

This is news to me...

Submitted by Unsilent_Minority on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:24pm.

...a peace-loving, olive-branch-extending Muslim purposefully discharging his firearm in the direction of some war-mongering, hatred-filled American soldiers?! This must be looked into further by our dear Mr. President, because clearly some sort of war crime must have been underway by the American infidels as the always-endearing Muslims would never harm us in any way, unless of course they were being attacked. And, even though it must have pained this poor soul dearly to even consider injuring another human being, he should retain that right under the U.S. Constitution should he feel threatened. I certainly hope that these soldiers, even posthumously, are brought to justice, as I'm sure they will under the watchful eye of our great President.

If you voted for Obama to prove you're not racist, OK. But this time, vote against him to prove you're not an idiot. "I'm the kind of Conservative Republican your Democrat friends warned you about."

Unsilent, lol! The poor guy

Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:29pm.

Unsilent, lol! The poor guy was just reading those mean soldiers minds and acted in self defense!

If the killer had been some good old boy soldier from Georgia

Submitted by no tingly legs on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:37pm.

who was a Baptist, they'd be having non-stop coverage and news specials on the three networks. Janet Incompetano would be interviewed repeating her belief that vets (and current military members) are a real terrorist threat to this country. But practitioners of "The Religion of Peace"? Nah.

JAN 20, 2013: Change I can believe in.

Sorry!

Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:47pm.

Sorry I am making sooo many comments but again I HAVE to! No-Tingly-Legs, you are absolutely right! If it had been a Georgia Baptist I think your imagery is spot on! They would be on that story like flies on sugar (or worse)!

You're both wrong....

Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:45pm.

You're both wrong.

The new preferred phrase is right-winger from the back country -Chris Matthews

A devout Muslim working at an

Submitted by ant on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:43pm.

A devout Muslim working at an airport, sounds like a great idea.

Day 3 of the Charlie Sheen Saga was more important

Submitted by jackieaxe on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 2:48pm.

Yes, Charlie Sheen got more play than our service men who got Allah Akbared by another devout Muslim.

Let's not jump to conclusions....

Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:38pm.

President Clueless pledges to

“Spare No Effort” to Determine Why “Allahu Akbar” Screaming Muslim Killed Two US Airman in Germany…

So let's just wait until the investigation is complete, OK?

That is one thing you can count on, MB.

Submitted by Unsilent_Minority on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:55pm.

President Obama will NEVER jump to conclusions when it is possible that the truth may harm his agenda. He will, however, be the first to make assumptions when it is possible that the truth, or at least the MSM version of it, advances his agenda. Possible Muslim terrorist? Let's wait and see. Possible "right-wing, gun-toting homegrown terrorist" (which has YET to materialize despite the dire prophecies of the MSM and Administration)? Jump away, Dear Leader.

If you voted for Obama to prove you're not racist, OK. But this time, vote against him to prove you're not an idiot. "I'm the kind of Conservative Republican your Democrat friends warned you about."

Muslim Terrorist

Submitted by Ashrak on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:41pm.

Thanks for telling the truth that the MSM won't.

MSM won't talk about this any more than they would Hassan. They must protect their Muslim cohorst at every turn.

As for the Charlie Sheen coverage mentioned by others -

It was all Chandra Levy all the time on the news - until airplanes flew into buildings.

It is gonna happen again - and for the same darned reason. MSM refuses to just speak and print the ugly truth about Islam itself.

That an individual right exists requires that some policy positions be removed from the table of debate.

It's pathetic that we are

Submitted by AngryInOhio on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:42pm.

It's pathetic that we are giving ABC credit for reporting this story, nevermind the fact the lead story was Micky Rooney testifying before Congress. When did it happen that this sorry media doesn't consider the killing of American soldiers worth reporting? Was it the fact the killer was muslim? What is wrong with these morons??? They are ALL shameless.

Apathy is killing this Country

So if president Obama isn't a

Submitted by Miss_Me_Yet on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:42pm.

So if president Obama isn't a stealth muslim, why on earth does he continue to order his official White House media propagandists to lie directly to the faces of the American people regarding his people constantly plotting, attempting to murder or actually murdering American citizens?

Maybe he doesn't want to piss his peeps off while we still have American service men & women overseas. Or maybe, considering the guy screamed the battle cry of the ji hadist as he opened fire, Barack Hussein Obama is simply full of ______.

" FOX NEWS ", We report, You decide.

MSNBC - Obama decides, we scrub the story till it fits the party line, hopefully no one will be the wiser.

Liberals ... we can't live with them, they couldn't survive without us ...

This shooting was no doubt a

Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 3:54pm.

This shooting was no doubt a an isolated incident by some lone nut. I wouldn't jump to pass judgement so quickly. We need to look at all the facts and try to understand the how and why this man lashed out after being a victim of racism and hatred. How was that, do I have the narrative down well enough to appear on MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS or NPR?

Non, je ne regrette rien. "You aren't angry because I might be a racist, you're angry because you know I'm right".

Since the Make-It-Up-Media

Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 4:20pm.

Since the Make-It-Up-Media has a hard enough time telling the truth about these types of activities on our OWN soil - it shouldn't come as any surprise that they would give short shrift to this coverage out of Germany............and also, since the victims were US soldiers, that only gives them even LESS impetus to spend much time on it.

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