Fresh calls for independent probe in Syria - seattlepi.com

Fresh calls for independent probe in Syria - seattlepi.com

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BEIRUT (AP) — The death of a French TV cameraman during a government-sponsored trip to Syria has renewed calls for an independent assessment of the violent conflict in the country.

The government and the opposition are trading blame for a spate of mysterious attacks that have killed scores of people since late December. Those came on top of a relentless military assault on dissent that has killed thousands over the past 10 months.

Nadim Houry, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, said Thursday there must be an independent investigation.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

BEIRUT (AP) — A French TV cameraman became the first Western journalist killed in the 10-month-old Syrian uprising Wednesday, dying in a barrage of grenades during a government-sponsored trip to the restive city of Homs, officials and a witness said.

The violence came just hours after President Bashar Assad made a surprise appearance at a rally in the capital, Damascus, joining thousands of supporters in a show of confidence as the conflict enters a dangerous and violent new phase.

The killing of Gilles Jacquier, who worked for France-2 Television, was likely to become a rallying cry for both sides, as the regime and the opposition blame each other for a recent spate of mysterious attacks.

The government blamed "terrorists" for Wednesday's attack, which it said also killed eight Syrians.

About 15 journalists were on the government trip when they were hit by several grenades, according to Jens Franssen, who was on the tour. "At some point, three or four (grenade) shells hit, very close to us," Franssen told the Belgian VRT network.

Video footage posted on Youtube appeared to show the aftermath of the attack, with people frantically loading the injured into cars. There were pools of blood on the ground. The authenticity of the footage, however, could not be independently verified.

A Dutch freelance journalist was also wounded in Homs Wednesday, although it wasn't immediately clear if he was part of the trip.

Jacquier, 43, was the first foreign journalist to be slain, Reporters Without Borders said. He had reported over the years from Afghanistan, Gaza, Congo, Iraq and Yemen, most recently for the investigative program Special Envoy, his network said.

"It's up to Syrian authorities to ensure the security of international journalists on their territory, and to protect this fundamental liberty which is the freedom of information," French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said.

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