Bin Laden¡¯s film maker sues Michael Moore

[emad]

Sunday Times
Nick Fielding



A FORMER close associate of Osama Bin Laden is to sue the film-maker Michael Moore for using his footage of the Al-Qaeda chief in the documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.

Essam Deraz, an Egyptian, spent almost four years in Afghanistan filming Bin Laden at training camps and fighting, gaining unprecedented access to the terrorist leader.

He was the only person to film Bin Laden during the late 1980s and has the only footage of the Saudi exile in battle in Afghanistan.

Deraz has started legal action in Egypt and America to seek compensation for use of his footage in Fahrenheit 9/11, the biggest-grossing documentary in cinema history.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1472041,00.html

[Rose Siding]

1. Too funny

Who would a wingnut side with in this one? I guess we know the answer. After all, Baker's law firm defended the Saudis against Sept 11 survivers/families.

[htuttle]

2. Moore's lawyer could depose bin Laden to authenticate the footage

Right. :shrug:

Sounds like Essam Deraz wants his paycheck. However, his footage has been seen so often in mainstream media (who I also doubt paid for it), I wonder who's aiming this guy at Moore instead of them?

Probably some al Queda-loving Republican.

[bpilgrim]

3. more evidence of who OBL is still working for... the neoCONs!

ah, more opportunity to talk about the nefarious ties our GOV has to the Saudis, Egyptians and OBL himself :evilgrin:

the more f911 stays in the media spotlight the better :bounce:

peace

[underpants]

5. Even then W would be able to catch him

:grr:

[chelsea0011]

4. Where's that tort reform now

[gizmo1979]

6. Is Osama going to testify?

[leesa]

7. This is hysteriacal. I hope it goes forward because he may have insight

into who has been playing OBL lately in the CIA films.

[candle_bright]

8. I wonder how MM got the footage?

I'd suspect that would have some bearing on the validity of these lawsuits.

[htuttle]

10. Everything I saw in the movie had been broadcast

I suspect he bought it from Al Jazeera just like CNN and Faux did.

[Tempest]

14. Exactly why this lawsuit has no merit

Unless he can prove he gave express permission to the networks, he doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Fair use will kick in.

He can sue overseas where the laws are different, but getting anything out of it (other than satisfaction) is also difficult.

[NVMojo]

9. Bin Ladens and Bushco, a team from hell....

[icymist]

11. Okay. Where is this guy coming from?

Other than 'Michael Moore took my film footage', what else is he trying to say? And, frankly, what's the point?

[truthpusher]

12. Bin Laden’s film maker sues Michael Moore

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=35

February 06, 2005

Bin Laden’s film maker sues Michael Moore
Nick Fielding

A FORMER close associate of Osama Bin Laden is to sue the film-maker Michael Moore for using his footage of the Al-Qaeda chief in the documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.

Essam Deraz, an Egyptian, spent almost four years in Afghanistan filming Bin Laden at training camps and fighting, gaining unprecedented access to the terrorist leader.

<snip>

Deraz claims he had not signed a distribution agreement with Moore or anyone else. “I was the only cameraman with the Arabs. All of those shots of Bin Laden talking in the cave, talking into his walkie-talkie, they were all my work.

“I was there from 1986-89 and was in contact with Bin Laden on many occasions. I saw him in Peshawar in Pakistan and in Jalalabad in Afghanistan. The film clips in Fahrenheit 9/11 — five of them — were mostly shot in March and April 1989.

moore here:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=35

[djeseru]

13. "Where's my Fahrenheit 9/11 money?"

Looks like someone wants to get paid...

[Carl Brennan]

15. More forgot something:

He should have voiced in: "I'm Osama Bin Laden and I approve this message".

[Sivafae]

16. that is hilarious!