- Abd al-Bari Atwan
Infobox Person
name = Abd al-Bari Atwan
image_size =
caption =
birth_name = Abd al-Bari Atwan
birth_date = birth date and age|1950|2|17
birth_place =Deir el-Balah ,Gaza Strip
death_date =
death_place =
death_cause =
resting_place =
resting_place_coordinates =
residence =London ,UK
nationality = British
other_names = Abdel Bari Atwan
known_for = Newspaper Editor-in-Chief
education =
employer =Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper
occupation =Journalist
title =
salary =
networth =
height =
weight =
term =
predecessor =
successor =
party =
boards =
religion = Sunni Muslim
spouse =
partner =
children =
parents =
relatives =
website = http://www.bariatwan.com
footnotes =Abdel Bari Atwan ( _ar. عبد الباري عطوان) is the editor-in chief of the
London -basedpan-Arab newspaperAl-Quds Al-Arabi .Personal and career background
He was born on
February 17 ,1950 inDair Al-Balah , aPalestinian refugee camp in theGaza Strip , two years after the creation ofIsrael . He was one of 11 children. After receiving hisprimary school education at the camp, his schooling was continued first inJordan in 1967, and then inCairo ,Egypt .In 1970 he entered
Cairo University where he studiedjournalism and also received a diploma in English-Arabictranslation . After his graduation he started work as a journalist, first with the "al-Balaagh " newspaper inLibya , then with "al-Madina " inSaudi Arabia . In 1978, he moved toLondon , where he has lived ever since, and assumed a job with "al-Sharq al-Awsat", a major Saudi-owned international daily. In 1980 he set up the London office of "al-Madina" and in 1984 returned to "al-Sharq al-Awsat".In 1989, "
al-Quds al-Arabi " was founded byexpatriate Palestinians and Abd al-Bari Atwan was offered the job aseditor-in-chief , which he has held since. The paper has as of 2007 grown into one of the majorpan-Arab dailies, and is known for its stridentArab nationalism and defense of the Palestinian cause. It has been banned and censored repeatedly in several Arab countries for vocal criticism of what the paper alleges is their autocratic rule and excessive deference toIsrael and theUSA . As editor of "al-Quds al-Arabi", Abd al-Bari Atwan has become a well-known Arab public figure, and is a regular guest on Dateline London onBBC World ,Sky News ,Al Jazeera English andCNN World, as well as on several Arabic-language networks.Bin Laden interview
In 1996 Abd al-Bari Atwan interviewed
Usama bin Laden , said to be last Western journalist to do so. He had to travel through the mountains, dressed inAfghan clothing. He later called the experience his "most frightening trip". His impression of bin Laden was that he is "a phenomenon, extreme". [ [http://www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au/2007/files/pdf/InternationalBios.pdf Brisbane Writers' Festival September 2007] ] [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,,591809,00.html Bari Atwan Guardian column on his interview] ] He stayed in the caves for four days, sleeping in primitive conditions in sub-zero temperatures. [Brisbane Writers Festival September 2007]Political opinions
* In his book, "The Secret History of al-Qa'ida" Atwan states, "I do not endorse or in any way support
al-Qa'ida 's agenda" and "I utterly condemn the attacks on innocent citizens in the West". ["The Secret History of Al-Qa'ida", Abdel Bari Atwan, Abacus (2006), ISBN 978-0-34-912035-5, p1]* During the 1990-91 Kuwait war, "al-Quds al-Arabi" gained some fame because of its outspoken opposition to the American-led attack. Though the paper did not approve of the
Iraq iinvasion andannexation ofKuwait , theUN -backed intervention was seen as intrusive and a meddling inArab affairs.* He expressed sympathy with
Saddam Hussein 's resistance to theUS invasion of Iraq , commenting on the former president's execution that he "will go to thegallow s with his head held high, because he built a strong united Iraq withoutsectarianism " [ [http://www.alquds.co.uk/index.asp?fname=yesterday26z29.htm&storytitle=ff%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B0%D9%87%D8%A8%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%86%D9%82%D8%A9%20%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A3%D8%B3fff Al-Quds Newspaper mourns the death of Saddam] ]*On the fifth anniversary of the
New York 9/11 attack Atwan opined: "The events of 11 September will be remembered as the end of the US empire. This is because all empires collapse when they pursue the arrogance of power." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5333812.stm Press blasts US foreign policy] , "BBC News website" 11 September 2006]* In an interview with MBC TV on November 28, 2006 (as translated by
MEMRI ), Atwan stated that "If the Iranian missiles strike Israel – by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar Square, and dance with delight if the Iranian missiles strike Israel." [ [http://www.memritv.org/clip_transcript/en/1506.htm Abd Al-Bari Atwan, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Quds Al-Arabi Newspaper: If Iranian Missiles Hit Israel, I Will Dance in Trafalgar Square] , MEMRI - Clip No. 1506, June 27, 2007.]Brisbane visa affair
In a scheduled visit to the
Brisbane Writers Festival in September 2007 Atwan's visa was reported as being blocked [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/asio-ban-on-terrorism-expert/2007/09/12/1189276810220.htmlSydney Morning Herald : ASIO ban on terrorism expert] by David Marr, 13 September 2007] by theAustralian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). Subsequently this turned out to be over-enthusiastic reporting. Mr Atwan had in fact only been delayed by ASIO for less than four weeks. ASIO is reported to have said "It is false to suggest it's anything to do with the media campaign or conspiracy theories, We had to seek some additional information. Dr Atwan's application was treated like everybody else's". [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/NATIONAL/Atwan-allowed-to-enter-Australia/2007/09/14/1189276950597.html Sydney Morning Herald: Atwan allowed to enter Australia] 14 September 2007. Australian Associated Press Pty Limited]Books
* "The Secret History of Al-Qa'ida", Abdel Bari Atwan, Abacus (2006), ISBN 978-0-34-912035-5
* "A Country of Words: The Life of Abdel Bari Atwan: A Palestinian Journey from the Refugee Camp to the Front Page", Abdel Bari Atwan, SAQI (25 September 2008), ISBN 978-0-86-356621-9References
Links
* [http://www.bariatwan.com Official Website]
* [http://www.alquds.co.uk AlQuds Newspaper]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.