Journalists in line of fire over reporting of terror attacks

Paris  – Two controversies around the Brussels attacks have shown yet again the thin line the media must tread between breaking the news quickly and not compromising police enquiries. Just two days before jihadists struck the Belgium capital Tuesday, the police had criticized “the irresponsibility of a certain outlet” which had published information “far too early” about the missing Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam, “causing us problems.” Hours before Abdeslam was arrested Friday after four months on the run, the French weekly news magazine L’Obs revealed that his fingerprints had been found in an apartment near Brussels. Police moving in to arrest Abdeslam found the outside broadcast van of a Flemish-language TV channel parked only metres from his hideout. Then on Wednesday two Belgian news websites had to retract reports claiming that an as yet unidentified third suspect involved in the Brussels airport bombings had been arrested. It prompted the [...]