Police have asked news organisations "in the strongest possible terms" not to publish pictures obtained by ABC News of unexploded bombs discovered in a car in Luton.
In a note to newsdesks today, the Metropolitan police said it was "aware that ABC News has obtained a number of unauthorised images relating to the investigation into, and the crime scenes from, the London bombings of July 7 from a third party.
"We are requesting in the strongest possible terms that media organisations DO NOT publish these images or any similarly unauthorised images because they may prejudice both the ongoing investigation and any future prosecutions."
I notice ITV News seem to have just broadcast said images. Are other news organisations - and did the BBC screen the ABC news last night?
And they've been shown on N24 all evening. I've not had an opportunity to watch Sky News this evening, but I'm sure others will be able to confirm whether or not Sky has been showing these images.
Sky showed them early in the afternoon, with one of their correspondents saying that at first the Met had requested they not show them, and later backed down saying they thought it would 'focus minds' of the public on the threat and keep people alert.
Does make me wonder how ABC managed to scoop all of the UK news organisations, though. As far as I know, they only have one correspondent based in London, though presumably a few more people there at the moment.
AIUI Sky and ITV decided to show the ABC pictures, though the Met had asked all news organisations not to.
Once both ITV and Sky had shown them Scotland Yard decided that they couldn't continue to ask the BBC not to, and agreed to the BBC showing them.
There are additional pictures in the ABC reports that I don't think any broadcasters in the UK have or will show. (They feature more gruesome scenes) I suspect ABC World News tonight will be edited (or pulled) before its News 24 broadcast.
I guess ABC managed to get them from someone involved in the recovery or investigation operation. It is an interesting development, and ABC did well to get the pictures.
However ABC have also been a bit poor in some of their reporting - on July 21st's World News Tonight Brian Ross, in a live on-set "top" reported that two of the four failed bombers had been captured and were in police custody (and one had been roughed up by commuters). This wasn't a line being reported by the BBC, Sky or ITN by this point in the day - and I was a bit surprised that ABC reported it as fact (when it wasn't at all)
Sky showed the photos from inside the trains, but put through some filters, making them rather hard to make out.
Looking at the photos from the trains again, I did smile when I saw the 'TOX 04' graffiti on the tunnel wall, something which you'll probably recognise if you've been on the District or Circle lines recently.
Sky showed them early in the afternoon, with one of their correspondents saying that at first the Met had requested they not show them, and later backed down saying they thought it would 'focus minds' of the public on the threat and keep people alert.
Does make me wonder how ABC managed to scoop all of the UK news organisations, though. As far as I know, they only have one correspondent based in London, though presumably a few more people there at the moment.
It seems they obtained them from US sources; the Met has been sharing evidence with the FBI etc. Leaking things like these isn't something that is common in UK police forces etc.
I was watching FOX News earlier today, just for a laugh really, and they were talking about the images discussed above. They said that 'London Police' had asked everyone not to show them, then criticised ABC for showing them, and then stated clearly that FOX wouldn't be showing them.
On the three occasions I have watched FOX this week, notably FOX and Friends, they have commented twice on the fact that The Sun newspaper is outraged that one of the bombers was granted a British passport even though he had been previously convicted for something. It made me wonder how well known The Sun newspaper is around the world. Just after this, the presenter said someone had been arrested in what sounded like 'Lootarn, just north of London'. Took me a while to figure that they were talking about Luton. Made me chuckle.
I was watching FOX News earlier today, just for a laugh really, and they... criticised ABC for showing them
Fox is just pi**ed of that they didnt get the scoop. Had they managed to obtain the pics Im sure they wouldnt have had one seconds hesitation before flashing them up on screen.
Id say The Sun probably is well known outside this country. Theyve had numerous exclusives about the Royal family which the Americans would love, so no doubt they'll have heard the name more than a few times.
