] A French television has revealed footage of a US strike
] on a hotel, which killed two journalists and injured
] several others in the Iraqi capital yesterday, showing an
] American tank targeting the hotel housing all foreign and
] Arab media and waiting at least two minutes before
] firing.
]
]
] The journalist working for France 3, Herve de Ploeg, who
] filmed the attack, refuted the American claim that Iraqi
] snipers were shooting from the hotel, as did all other
] journalists there.
]
]
] %u201CI did not hear any shots in the direction of the
] tank, which was stationed at the west entrance of the
] Al-Jumhuriya (Republic) bridge, 600 meters north-west of
] the hotel.%u201D
]
]
] A US commander claimed the tank was being fired at from
] the hotel.
]
]
] %u201CThe tank was receiving fire from the hotel, RPG
] (rocket-propelled grenade) and small-arms fire, and
] engaged with one tank round. The firing stopped,%u201D
] said General Buford Blount, commander of the 3rd Infantry
] Division.
]
]
] However, the film shows the tank%u2019s turret moving
] toward the Palestine Hotel, housing around 200 foreign
] and Arab journalists, and the gun carriage lifting and
] waiting at least two minutes before firing at the
] building.
]
]
] France 3 had previously set up two cameras in two rooms
] facing the bridge to capture footage