Tory leader attacks BBC coverage of Middle East

Iain Duncan Smith denounced the BBC yesterday for offering "platitudes" to terrorists in its coverage of the Middle East.

He lambasted broadcasters for describing Palestinian groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad by "euphemisms such as radical and militant".

In a speech to the Conservative Friends of Israel, Mr Duncan Smith also attacked the BBC for failing to make clear the "true status" of the Iraqi parliament. But the BBC denied Mr Duncan Smith's claims, insisting that it reported events in the Middle East "neutrally and impartially".

Mr Duncan Smith's intervention echoes comments made a year ago when he attacked broadcasters over their coverage of terrorist organisations. "I said then what I say again now: broadcasters should call these groups what they are – terrorist organisations. Such fudging of what Hamas or Islamic Jihad are confers a dangerous legitimacy on people who could easily extend their war of terror to this country," he said yesterday.

He told the audience of 300 people in central London: "If this were not bad enough, a recent BBC TV report on the Iraqi parliament made no mention of the true status of this so-called parliament. Broadcasters should call dictatorships what they are: dictatorships."

A spokesman for BBC News rejected the Conservative leader's criticisms of its reporting of the Iraqi parliament. He said: "I think the history of the BBC's reports make it clear to any fair-minded view that the regime is as far removed from a liberal democracy as possible."

He said the BBC had an obligation to be impartial and accurate, and emphasised that the corporation used neutral language when describing news events.

However, the BBC was "explicit visually and verbally in reporting of attacks such as suicide bombings, detailing the atrocities which have taken place", he said.

Viewers and listeners were left to form their own judgements, he said.