3 Al-Jazeera journalists arrested for flying drone in Paris

[webfact]

3 Al-Jazeera journalists arrested for flying drone in Paris
By THOMAS ADAMSON

PARIS (AP) — Three Al-Jazeera journalists have been arrested for illegally flying a drone in Paris Wednesday, after unidentified drones flew over the Eiffel Tower and key Paris landmarks for a second night running. It's further baffled French authorities who are investigating a spate of unidentified flying objects in the Paris skies at a time of high security across the country.

The foreign nationals aged 70, 54 and 36 — who work for the Doha-based international broadcaster — were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after police spotted a drone flying in the Bois de Boulogne woods in western Paris, said Paris prosecutors' spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre.

She said is was unclear what the trio were trying to accomplish.

"Three Al-Jazeera English journalists have been held by police in Paris while filming a report on the city's recent mystery drones," the network said in a comment from its base in Qatar. "We will comment further when more information is available."

The journalists can be held for a maximum of 24 hours under French law. Flying drones without a license in France is illegal and carries a maximum one-year prison sentence and a 75,000 euros ($85,000) fine.

The Al-Jazeera arrests come in the midst of a police investigation into a spate of mysterious drone sightings over the French capital, including on Monday and Tuesday nights.

Police sighted one or more drones in five instances buzzing in the Paris sky in the night of Tuesday to Wednesday — from 11.30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

An unidentified flying object was first seen Tuesday night near the Gare de l'Est train station, with sightings continuing in sequence for over two hours over the Paris Opera, then on to the Tuileries gardens, past the Eiffel Tower and then south past Paris' Montparnasse Tower, according to Thibault-Lecuivre.

An inquiry was launched after drones, which are banned over Paris, were also spotted Monday night — including over the U.S. Embassy.

It's not known who was behind the flights, how many objects there were in total, and even whether they were all coordinated.

Last month a drone caused worry after being sighted flying over the Elysee Palace, the residence of President Francois Hollande — following dozens of sightings of drones over nuclear plants and military installations.

These latest episodes are sparking particular concern, with Paris already on its highest-alert after January's deadly terrorist attacks by Islamic radicals.

French authorities have said the drones currently present no threat, apart from the risk of falling on someone, but the government is trying to find ways to counteract the devices. Some fear the drones could be spying on technology or could one day be equipped with weapons.

Drone operator Jean-Luc Fournier, who has consulted on French drone legislation, said authorized operators condemn such rogue flights because it casts the whole industry in a bad light.

A small drone crashed on the White House lawn last month, raising U.S. concern about the phenomenon.
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Associated Press writer Adam Schreck in Dubai, United Arab Emirates contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-26

[wabothai]

Just shoot them out of the sky, if the flight is not registered and book the operators. Soft approach in these days of threats does not work.

[arjunadawn]

It is not remotely unclear to folks like me what this smells like. In Iraq al jazeera was present at numerous (not some, not several, not multiple-numerous) ambushes of US forces and contractors before the attackers even initiated the ambush. It was so often that there was a standing rule- If you turn a corner, enter a town, and see al jazeera van alone, leave immediately- throw into reverse and unass the area.

When one turns into a small town on busy day and the streets are empty and the windows boarded up, this is a serious clue. When al jazeera is also there, this is not a clue, but an ambush. It happened all the time. This is why it was frequently briefed by coalition forces that if they see AJ stopped ahead they should egress immediately. Even combatant commanders knew this fact. One can rationalize all they want about why AJ is in Paris but I dont need explanations- AJ is the mouthpiece of islamic jihad outside America- indeed, they are variously the PR.

AJ is effectively a Badge Carrying Press cover for status/cover for action in the hybrid area where jihad merges with the legitimate world- who better to send drones to provoke and measure responses, or otherwise confuse or provoke authorities, or test awareness, or feign an interest in Paris that actually lies elsewhere, under the protective guise of "Press?" If some think this is BS, ok. It is my opinion and current events will prove me correct.

[Mosha]

It is not remotely unclear to folks like me what this smells like. In Iraq al jazeera was present at numerous (not some, not several, not multiple-numerous) ambushes of US forces and contractors before the attackers even initiated the ambush. It was so often that there was a standing rule- If you turn a corner, enter a town, and see al jazeera van alone, leave immediately- throw into reverse and unass the area.

When one turns into a small town on busy day and the streets are empty and the windows boarded up, this is a serious clue. When al jazeera is also there, this is not a clue, but an ambush. It happened all the time. This is why it was frequently briefed by coalition forces that if they see AJ stopped ahead they should egress immediately. Even combatant commanders knew this fact. One can rationalize all they want about why AJ is in Paris but I dont need explanations- AJ is the mouthpiece of islamic jihad outside America- indeed, they are variously the PR.

AJ is effectively a Badge Carrying Press cover for status/cover for action in the hybrid area where jihad merges with the legitimate world- who better to send drones to provoke and measure responses, or otherwise confuse or provoke authorities, or test awareness, or feign an interest in Paris that actually lies elsewhere, under the protective guise of "Press?" If some think this is BS, ok. It is my opinion and current events will prove me correct.

When those 3 were jailed in Egypt, one thing the Egyptians were saying was, AJ are a mouth piece for the Muslim Brotherhood.

[arjunadawn]

It is not remotely unclear to folks like me what this smells like. In Iraq al jazeera was present at numerous (not some, not several, not multiple-numerous) ambushes of US forces and contractors before the attackers even initiated the ambush. It was so often that there was a standing rule- If you turn a corner, enter a town, and see al jazeera van alone, leave immediately- throw into reverse and unass the area.

When one turns into a small town on busy day and the streets are empty and the windows boarded up, this is a serious clue. When al jazeera is also there, this is not a clue, but an ambush. It happened all the time. This is why it was frequently briefed by coalition forces that if they see AJ stopped ahead they should egress immediately. Even combatant commanders knew this fact. One can rationalize all they want about why AJ is in Paris but I dont need explanations- AJ is the mouthpiece of islamic jihad outside America- indeed, they are variously the PR.

AJ is effectively a Badge Carrying Press cover for status/cover for action in the hybrid area where jihad merges with the legitimate world- who better to send drones to provoke and measure responses, or otherwise confuse or provoke authorities, or test awareness, or feign an interest in Paris that actually lies elsewhere, under the protective guise of "Press?" If some think this is BS, ok. It is my opinion and current events will prove me correct.

When those 3 were jailed in Egypt, one thing the Egyptians were saying was, AJ are a mouth piece for the Muslim Brotherhood.

Yes, and this point slightly confounds me. I believe Egypt was correct in arresting them; I am aware I am alone in this. Qatar is not exactly seen as MB partner whereas they are seen to support Daesh, etc. How is this possible? I see my conflict then in stating AJ has agenda, that agenda is Qatari based, but then the Eqypt fiasco... I dont know. I know this, the game on the ground is not at all what most posters here thing is playing out. There is no war over moderates and islamists.

There is a twofold dynamic taking place: the shia sunni dynamic and the the redoubts being built are in the guise of a sunni caliphate to oppose shia expansion- IMO. However, the other issue is effectively a civil war within sunni islam between such actors a DAESH/IS and the Muslim Brotherhood; there is no conflict in islam regarding moderation, only the claimant to the caliphate.

[Steely Dan]

Who funds Al-Jazeera? And who else do they fund? I would go as far as to conclude that the journalists were acting as reconnaissance or spotters for terrorist cells. France declaring war on Islamic extremism puts them right on Qatar's hit list.

[Mosha]

Who funds Al-Jazeera? And who else do they fund? I would go as far as to conclude that the journalists were acting as reconnaissance or spotters for terrorist cells. France declaring war on Islamic extremism puts them right on Qatar's hit list.

Funded by the Qatari ruling family.

[NeverSure]

I just finished flying drones over Paris, and even flew them up and down the Champs Elysee, over the Eiffel Tower and they stopped on Montmartre.

Oh wait. I was playing with Google Earth. Never mind.

[Seastallion]

Just shoot them out of the sky, if the flight is not registered and book the operators. Soft approach in these days of threats does not work.

And have a damaged drone fall onto someone's head?

[arjunadawn]

Yea, one can imagine the chaos of shooting down a drone over a city, regardless of does it. Yet imagine the intel gleaned (if any) in determining what was being viewed, or IT reverse engineering the source? It could have been as simple as clowns doing it to enhance news gathering but I hold context is everything, and AJ is a suspect character.