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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Animal Lib Revenge
The Advertiser Adelaide 8 Nov. 99
Journalist tortured for exposing group's terror tactics
An investigation journalist who exposed Animal Liberation Front terror tactics has been subjected to a horrifying revenge ordeal - taken captive and tortured with a branding iron.
Graham Hall, whose documentary film Inside The ALF won top television awards, thought the kidnap gang was going to kill him.
Instead they burned the initials ALF across his bare back.
And last night the ALF's official spokesman Robin Webb issued a chilling warning to 43 year old Hall and any others who sought to undermine the organisation's increasingly widespread network of stop-at-nothing fanatics.
He denied any knowledge of the attack on Hall but said: "People who make a living in this way have to expect from time to time to take the consequences of their actions".
Hall will be permanently scarred by the barbaric mutilation.
Channel 4, which showed the film in a Dispatches program which won this year's BAFTA news journalism award and also a Royal Television Society award, has offered to pay for plastic surgery to help minimise the impact of the branded letters. Hall, who works by secretly filming as he infiltrates iniquitous operations ranging from badger baiting to drug dealing, admits he has also been mentally scarred.
"Recovering from the psychological effect of this will take a long time," he said last night. "But I am determined to carry on my work."
Much of this work is directed against cruelty to animals but he was appalled at ALF tactics. Webb told Hall how to construct a bomb, while fellow member Gaynor Ford took him on a tour of sites she had targeted with terrorism.
But to Hall's surprise, police who had hoped to use his video evidence to prosecute Webb, Ford and another man, David Hammond, quietly dropped the case.
After his kidnap ordeal - his captors duped him into a meeting pretending they could identify a dog-fighting ring - his torturers warned him not to go to the police.
"I was told they would kill me if I did," said Hall, " But I am making a statement because they cannot be allowed to get away with it."
Last night West Mercia Police confirmed they were investigating.
Webb denied any knowledge of the incident but criticised Hall for his filming methods.
"What was filmed was heavily edited and very selectively," he said. "I told my lawyers that there was nothing to the unedited tapes that could be used against me in any way.
"I can't speak for Ford and Hammond. They are beyond the pale of the movement."
A Channel 4 spokesman said last night: "Graham Hall is one of this country's leading investigative journalists who has taken considerable risks to uncover corruption.
"We are horrified at the barbarous attack and are offering him whatever possible support."[/quote]
B
The Advertiser Adelaide 8 Nov. 99
Journalist tortured for exposing group's terror tactics
An investigation journalist who exposed Animal Liberation Front terror tactics has been subjected to a horrifying revenge ordeal - taken captive and tortured with a branding iron.
Graham Hall, whose documentary film Inside The ALF won top television awards, thought the kidnap gang was going to kill him.
Instead they burned the initials ALF across his bare back.
And last night the ALF's official spokesman Robin Webb issued a chilling warning to 43 year old Hall and any others who sought to undermine the organisation's increasingly widespread network of stop-at-nothing fanatics.
He denied any knowledge of the attack on Hall but said: "People who make a living in this way have to expect from time to time to take the consequences of their actions".
Hall will be permanently scarred by the barbaric mutilation.
Channel 4, which showed the film in a Dispatches program which won this year's BAFTA news journalism award and also a Royal Television Society award, has offered to pay for plastic surgery to help minimise the impact of the branded letters. Hall, who works by secretly filming as he infiltrates iniquitous operations ranging from badger baiting to drug dealing, admits he has also been mentally scarred.
"Recovering from the psychological effect of this will take a long time," he said last night. "But I am determined to carry on my work."
Much of this work is directed against cruelty to animals but he was appalled at ALF tactics. Webb told Hall how to construct a bomb, while fellow member Gaynor Ford took him on a tour of sites she had targeted with terrorism.
But to Hall's surprise, police who had hoped to use his video evidence to prosecute Webb, Ford and another man, David Hammond, quietly dropped the case.
After his kidnap ordeal - his captors duped him into a meeting pretending they could identify a dog-fighting ring - his torturers warned him not to go to the police.
"I was told they would kill me if I did," said Hall, " But I am making a statement because they cannot be allowed to get away with it."
Last night West Mercia Police confirmed they were investigating.
Webb denied any knowledge of the incident but criticised Hall for his filming methods.
"What was filmed was heavily edited and very selectively," he said. "I told my lawyers that there was nothing to the unedited tapes that could be used against me in any way.
"I can't speak for Ford and Hammond. They are beyond the pale of the movement."
A Channel 4 spokesman said last night: "Graham Hall is one of this country's leading investigative journalists who has taken considerable risks to uncover corruption.
"We are horrified at the barbarous attack and are offering him whatever possible support."[/quote]
B
