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As Muslims we are all linked to Iraq, because of the ties of Islamic history. Columbus travelled to the New World on maps drawn up by Muslim navigators. And there were times when said - well we don't want to go on the bus, we want to take our own car and go to the site and the Iraqi officials said yes and obviously we'd come back by our own route through the rest of Baghdad which was very useful journalistically. Al-Jazeera doesn’t have a problem with showing the true effects of war and they don’t seem to have any limitations on reporting.”, Working with Al-Jazeera in dangerous areas has left Rageh with respect for his new colleagues, as he says they have been nothing but professional, and asserts that “a lot of mainstream reporting would not be aired if it was not for Al-Jazeera’s pictures.”, One particularly farcical anecdote happened on Rageh’s last few days in Baghdad, standing on the rooftop of the Palestine Hotel. So no, there was no formal censorship as such. I don't know is the answer to that question. We are Muslim and we are also British. We had the some kind of things being said about us in the opposite direction. In this 90-minute documentary, Rageh Omaar, the presenter of the series, uncovers the hidden story of Europe’s Islamic past and looks back to a Golden Age when European civilisation was enriched by Islamic learning. The marines came in the hotel, and I will never forget how their lieutenant was being interviewed by them, without knowing who they were. ITV News. I saw obviously the results of a lot of the bombardment in the air war in Baghdad and other outlying areas of the Iraqi capital. “Because my background pointed towards the African and Islamic world, I thought it was a good opportunity to combine some journalism and go back to Somalia to find out what the situation was like. No BBC correspondent had been there for three or four years.”, Rageh was soon on his way to a place that was destined to hold more meaning for him than he could have imagined. I'd like to think that this programme might just convince those who can bring an end to this misery, to act. Peering out from amongst the faces crowding bookstore shelves, from a grinning Gordon Ramsay, to the broody young boxer, Amir Khan, there is yet another addition to the outpouring of biographies. If you followed news coverage of the war in Iraq, you will probably have seen or heard our guest today, the BBC correspondent in Baghdad during the conflict, Rageh Omaar. That whole episode – my being called the “Scud stud” was jokingly done in the media, and it was short-lived. ITV sparks complaints from furious viewers as it allows Prince Harry's 'bias' friend Tom Bradby to present News at Ten on Megxit - as they accuse him of 'trying to blackmail the Queen' Given the disaster that has befallen their country, I am amazed at how patient and resilient Iraqis are.” With this connection, was it difficult to be objective? While I sip the warm green tea he has just brewed for me, and glance at the family photographs of his wife Nina and their three children Loula, Sami and Zakariyya, he asks what I think of his book with a look of genuine interest for my perspective. It doesn’t matter if you are from Indonesia or Somalia or Pakistan, there is that connection. Peter Gould: It's interesting because it is not as if you were an unknown face on tv before that. So far, so safe. People who were in the army in the first Gulf war have converted to Islam. I think there are also - and I hate the phrase - "good news stories", but I think it's important to accentuate that progress has been made in Africa as well as the enormous problems the continent faces. They sent Rageh, their youngest son of four children to school at Cheltenham Boys College, and days spent there were far from the bullying that might be typically expected, where Rageh’s best friend and roommate was a Muslim from Malaysia. Returning to the country of his birth some 17 years later proved to be a challenging test. - we had more power and influence. Would you say it probably is in Africa? Little is known about the Somali community, and this ignorance has only been exacerbated by films like “Black Hawk Down” which Rageh calls “a typical Hollywood-isation of history.”, “The whole idea of Somalis and the US involvement in Mogadishu and these disastrous lies was utterly irrelevant.” But even with the glam-propaganda trying to fuel people with fear, there is still evidence of the desire to understand, as Rageh remarks that people are tired of being “saturated with clichés”. We may have our priorities, we have our sense of anger and hurt, but at the same time we cannot be apathetic. Tags: Tim Ewart. ITN. This is entirely apt for a man whose book has opened up a window not only into his own life, but into the lives of other Muslims he encounters, and into the Muslim perspective at large. It claims to be "Africa's biggest ongoing success story". This essential guide to Islam covers every aspect of the Muslim faith and its history - from the life of the Prophet Muhammad and … This was described as telling the history of a journey to Mecca, featuring visual examples of Islamic culture down the centuries, and created so as to reflect the powerful experience of any Muslim making the Hajj pilgrimage – to Islam’s most sacred building in Islam’s most sacred city. A lot of questions from people - many of them about the difficulties involved in reporting a conflict like this from Baghdad. He was of course expecting a white western correspondent as that is what the BBC meant to him. So I didn't see them fight in other areas. Peter Gould: Rob, UK: What do make of the charges that the reporting by the BBC was some of the most shameful and blatant 'anti-war' propaganda ever broadcast? Rageh Omaar:Absolutely. I remember I hit the deck as soon as the shell landed and there was a small sprinkling of debris - the Reuters office was on the 15th floor. Censorship came in more subtle forms. While the world’s attention was turned towards Jerusalem, Rageh along with a festoon of other western journalists, got posted there. Rageh Omaar:Absolutely. Broadcasting the channel in English is a great move and a fantastic opportunity.”. Rageh Omaar:There was no formal censorship - on the very first day of the war, I think that was March 20th after the first night of air strikes, the authorities said there was going to be censorship, as there was during the first Gulf War and we'd have to present our reports to be viewed before they were sent through the satellite and we had to do that. But also in a sense doesn't that make it harder for people like the authorities in Baghdad to censor you? “I was amazed by the fan mail. Peter Gould: To what extent were you prevented from moving around Baghdad? We all argued with the authorities there, saying this was an insane decision - the Ministry of Information as well as all other Iraqi state buildings was going to be bombed and we would not stay there after dark because night time was the worst time. D I think the plight of a lot of the conflict in West Africa has been too underreported and I'd like to report on that. This one, however, seems to stand apart from the others. Peter Gould: Well the technology, as you say, does make it easy for you in one sense to broadcast instantly with perhaps some of the attendant problems of that. Look, I wasn't travelling with the British and American armies. Rageh Omaar is an internationally renowned reporter. Now obviously we had to continue broadcasting but there would be raids in the hotel rooms - you'd be broadcasting live, there'd be a knock on the door that you didn't recognise or weren't expecting and suddenly in mid-air you had to pack up your equipment, throw it under the bed and disguise it. His parents, like many other Somalis, never expected to stay, and regarded their move as temporary exile from the civil war tearing their beautiful country apart. This journey was not about reporting back to the public, it was a personal voyage to retrace true identity amidst the empty “clash of civilisations” rhetoric that continues to engulf media and minds. Ridley Scott went from making “Black Hawk Down” to “Kingdom of Heaven”, so even what’s happening to Ridley Scott is indicative of how very slowly, this corner is being turned.”, It seems that Rageh has also been turning some corners. Initially, I thought maybe this was an Iraqi missile but then it became quite clear that it was not. “We as a community need to start asking questions about what the Muslim community is, what it is that binds us in Britain.” Being defined by other’s terms is a dangerous path to tread. When I mention the word “ghettoisation” to Rageh, he acknowledges the emergence of ghettoes across the UK, where there is a concentration of Muslim communities, but he adds “there is also the ghetto of the mind.”, “We have been ghettoised and we have ghettoised ourselves for far too long. After studying Arabic in the University of Jordan for two years, Rageh was given a junior post in Amman in 1997 only a few years after the Oslo Accords. Simultaneously, two BBC cameramen, were filming from the balcony of the hotel, filming the US tank firing on the offices of Abu Dhabi television - I didn't know that at the time - I was at the other end. I think the most difficult task of nation building is only just beginning. But no, I did not witness any acts of war crimes by British and American soldiers. We all remember that young man standing in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square, for example. For three months he reported the scene in the beleaguered capital to almost 90% of the British public on either BBC bulletins or News 24, despatches that were also syndicated widely abroad. I wanted to explore for myself this untruth that Islam and the West have nothing to do with each other, that European civilisation is somehow utterly distinct from Islamic civilisation. As I knock on the door of his West London home, I wonder why I have the feeling I know Rageh Omaar even before meeting him, but before indulging the sentiment, Rageh is standing in the doorway, and invites me in with casual familiarity. I came across the American army when they arrived on my doorstep in Baghdad. It was very surreal and weird for a 30th!”, Rageh soon started to get restless and dissatisfied with the concentration of western coverage on Israel/Palestine. Every day at 9pm, millions of viewers tuned in to BBC1 to see Rageh standing on his hotel balcony in his famous red puffer jacket, or olive green combat shirt, and he gained the nation’s trust thorough honest reporting. His reports became a regular feature on news bulletins in the UK and around the world. That's come as a real surprise - everywhere I go people recognise me obviously because of the reports that I was broadcasting from Baghdad. Rageh recalls how his first sights of UK life, overwhelmed a little boy of five, and proved a stark contrast to growing up in the Horn of Africa. Set in the rural beauty of Staffordshire, in an arboretum of some 30,000 trees and sweeping lawns, its Homeric figures celebrate determination and sacrifice. I think though some of the content of this series is a little too partisan. Rageh Omaar:What was going through my mind, was first of all where was this fire coming from. British Pakistanis, British Arabs, British Somalis, British converts, we all come under the banner of British Islam. Starring Caroline Proust, Grégory Fitoussi, Philippe Duclos Genres Drama Subtitles ... Whoever did the casting deserves accolades too, because the actors were always perfect for … Peter Gould: Gareth Irvine, Coventry, UK: When you returned home after three months in Baghdad, what was the most difficult thing you had to face or adjust to? Rageh Omaar:I think just being recognised so much by people - whether it's in South Africa, where I am based for the BBC, or here in the UK. Peter Gould: Momo Rasco Kamara, Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana: Is there conflict in Africa that you would like to cover? ... too right-wing,” he explains. Even in the midst of the biggest health crisis in years, governments of the world area still prioritising military power, death and destruction, writes John Pilger.. BRITAIN’S ARMED FORCES MEMORIAL is a silent, haunting place. Rageh Omaar:No I didn't. And were you in any way censored? A bureaucrat from Buffalo, a primary school teacher from Birmingham and the Oxford-educated brother of broadcaster Rageh Omaar. Rageh is perhaps best remembered for his reporting of the Iraq war. And I've had the complete reverse saying - Britain reported shameful things about Iraq and the suffering of the Iraqi people. The only way he saw this as feasible, was through journalism. This site uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. There are many, many different things, if we all put our hands on our hearts and say what are the really underreported stories or stories that are hard to get on and a lot of them, you'll find are in Africa. April 2012, once again presented by Rageh Omaar, there was The Hidden Art of Islam. Here's this person writing an e-mail from a refugee camp in Ghana - that says it all. “Forty percent of people living in this country don’t know any Muslims, that statistic is full of journalists as well” Rageh remarks. The spotlight is on us now as the Muslim community. Peter Gould: George Soilis, Ashford, Kent, UK: Did you see the US Army or the British army commit crimes against humanity in Iraq? “78% of mosques in America have been built in the last 12 years. How he got to report there is another story. 2010, 16:10 CAT [226 Reads, 0 Comment(s)] BEFORE joining the Witness team at the launch of Al Jazeera English, Somali-born reporter Rageh Omaar worked for the BBC for over 12 years. I’m not saying all our problems will be solved by going out to vote, of course not. This is a short notice, I just learned about this event (scroll to the bottom of this page for details on event). If we wanted to go to areas that had been bombed or official government sites or military camps - they were organised in large buses and journalists from all over the world were taken there. Doesn’t that lead to questions? I think probably some of the most forgotten stories are and some of the most enormous stories with the most consequences - HIV/Aids in Africa is one thing - it's not just about Africa, there's huge HIV/Aids problems in Asia, the sub-continent, the Far East - a lot of places. It was all about access of freedom of movement. The one thing journalism has taught me is that if you want to make your voice heard, either as a community or as an individual, your voice can be heard pretty quickly if you can determine the careers of politicians.”, And what does he think of political participation now? Rageh Omaar:I would love to be able to do that in 10 years' time. I think it is also interesting to add because I've had a lot of other e-mails from people saying - look, there was only 200 - 300 people present and it wasn't a huge affair. Naturally I wanted to experience firsthand events that were changing the world.”. Iraq had struck a profound chord in him that resounded with a distinct call: a call towards belonging. Though he assures me there is no love lost between him and the Beeb, he finds that the approach taken by Al-Jazeera is a vital one. The Muslim community is still cloaked in a veil of obscurity, seen by the mainstream only through the narrow eyes of the media. The New York Post dubbed him the Scud Stud, while Viz magazine dedicated its latest issue to "Britain's best-loved bullet-dodging dreamboat". Rageh Omaar:Of course, yes, I was very scared. Those years of adjustment in the 70s were set against politically turbulent times embroiled with the Iranian Revolution, the mujahideen pitted against Russia in Afghanistan and the Lebanon War raging in the headlines. This comprehensive, accessible, and authenticated guide to Islam is essential to understanding the world''s fastest-growing religion.

This essential guide to Islam covers every aspect of the Muslim faith and its history - from the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Koran to Islam in the 21st century. Thanks to Rageh Omaar for joining us. Perhaps the most patrician is yet to come. People should not believe that the fighting in Iraq is over. Rageh Omaar presents The Life of Muhammad on BBC Two The BBC’s new three-part series on the life of Muhammad, Islam’s founder and most important prophet, has already caused controversy. The American commander said that they thought they were coming under sniper fire and mortar fire from the Palestine Hotel where the western journalists were and the offices of Al-Jazeera and Abu Dhabi Television were. Rageh Omaar: The Scud Stud aims for truth The Somali-born journalist Rageh Omaar became a celebrity during the Iraq conflict, but he has no regrets after walking out on the BBC. The development and importance of what happens in Iraq is going to have consequences for everybody and it's by no means over - it's only just begun. Rageh fully endorses a positive outlook. But it is a critical, critical question to be answered, given the whole nature and ambitions of what the war represented certainly for the British and American governments. It was interesting, we were banned from having satellite phones of any description in our hotel by the Iraqi authorities because all journalists were forced to work from the Ministry of Information. Posted on June 19, 2009 by nekessa • Leave a comment. In Somalia, civil war was at its height. Just one year following his return from Iraq, Rageh was to embark on another journey. I was just about to broadcast - I was actually putting my earpiece in when the shell hit the Palestine Hotel directly in the room used by Reuters Television. “Only Half of Me” is an honest and insightful glimpse into the life and experiences of Somali born British journalist, Rageh Omaar. But, despite the popularity, how did the war affect him personally and those around him? His departure from the BBC may have surprised some, but his move to Al-Jazeera marks yet another step in an ongoing journey. The American government on one hand is saying Al-Jazeera is a terrorist network, and then they send an ambassador to talk with Al-Jazeera officials. Here was a TV station run by Hezbollah, interviewing an American officer asking him how it feels to be in Baghdad. “I spent my 30th birthday in Gaza with a Palestinian camera man. The fact that I am a Muslim helps with a different kind of connection with the Iraqis. Part 1/3: The Seeker. The film, narrated by Rageh Omaar, shows that it is possible for the perpetrators of interreligious ... / 1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 315, Philadelphia, PA 19121 215-204-7525 info@dialogueinstitute… That is true, there weren't tens of thousands of people present at that statue and I don't think any one of us of the correspondents who were there said there were. But these were much smaller pieces of gear that made it much harder to censor journalists. I saw the consequences of world events literally on my doorstep – London is part and parcel of the political story around the world, so more and more Arabs were coming to the capital. The largest number of converts to Islam in America is in Texas. “My first impressions of arriving in Britain, apart from the obvious shock at the cold weather, was that there were so many artificial colours. I think as technology moves forward, giving the ability to cover wars in an immediate sense, the importance of experience of people in these situations is, I think, more crucial. Look at the borough of Ealing, 12,000 Somalis, but I don’t think more than 500 are registered to vote. BEFORE joining the Witness team at the launch of Al Jazeera English, Somali-born reporter Rageh Omaar worked for the BBC for over 12 years. “too big for your skin ... Al Jazeera’s Rageh Omaar in Minneapolis. Peter Gould: An e-mail from Faysal, Somalia: I would like to ask about the fatal shelling of the Baghdad hotel housing the western press and the killing of the Al-Jazeera reporter. The panel looks at the bigger picture of reporting the very diverse region on a regular basis and finding out about those challenges where the Isle of Man makes up only about 1% of the audience. Rageh, welcome to our studio here in London today. 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