Dean McLoughlin

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Former UK Government Spokesman for Arab Affairs: Dean McLoughlin Islamic Media Unit

Dean McLoughlin's role as spokeman for the Islamic Media Unit was somewhat low profile with the exception of a few crisis' which pushed him into the limelight.

His first major media appearance was when he made an appeal to Iraqi citizens in Arabic during a Hostage crisis in Iraq 19 September 2004. [1] Prior to this event there has been no direct reference to him in any of the major world publications listed on Lexis Nexis.

A few days later after two of the American hostages were executed and the hostage deadline neared, there were signs of a shift by the Foreign Office, which distanced itself from the US - McLoghlin re-appealed to the hostage takers emphasizing that the Americans were holding the women, not the British: "The British forces in Iraq have no Iraqi female prisoners, not one." [2]

He reappeared in the media spotlight when photographs that allegedly showed soldiers humiliating Iraqi prisoners were made public. [3] This was also his last media appearance as UK Government Spokesman for Arab Affairs.


Notes

  1. Press Association September 19, 2004, Sunday,
  2. HOSTAGE CRISIS: KIDNAP THREATENS BLAIR ATTEMPT TO HEAL LABOUR RIFT OVER WAR, The Independent (London) September 22, 2004, pg4
  3. Court martial: Muted response from Arab world: World media Anger expected to increase, The Guardian (London) - January 20, 2005, pg4