President of Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) to Discuss Arab Media and the Terrorist Attacks

9/11/2002

From: Cara Rosenthal, 202-955-9070, for the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)

News Advisory:

A year after the September 11 attacks, officials, journalists, and religious leaders throughout the Arab world continue to claim that the perpetrators of the attacks were not Arabs or Muslims. The claim that U.S. and or Jewish/Israeli elements carried out the attacks has become an accepted and common myth in the Arab world, to the point that U.S. President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell have been accused of masterminding the attacks.

Join Yigal Carmon, president of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), for a briefing and discussion on the Arab media's claims that the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. were perpetrated by the U.S. government and Jews/Israelis. In recent months, the Arab press has increasingly relied on Western sources to support their claims. Amongst these sources are known antisemites such as Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy.

Issues addressed will include a detailed review and analysis of the claims presented in the newspapers of such countries as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority.

MEMRI will also be releasing the print edition of its study of this phenomenon, titled, "A NEW ANTISEMITIC MYTH IN THE MIDDLE EAST MEDIA: The September 11 Attacks Were Perpetrated by the Jews," with a foreword by Congressman Tom Lantos; an updated chapter based on research compiled from April - September, 2002 will also be released. The first study is available as a PDF file at: http://www.memri.org/book/AntisemiticMythBook.pdf

WHEN: Sept. 12, 12 - 3 p.m.

WHERE: National Press Club, Lisagor Room 529 14th St. N.W. Washington, DC