A point-by-point rebuttal to Sri Lanka experts' response on the authenticity of Channel-4 video is being presented to the War-Crimes Tribunal being held in Dublin on the 14th and 15th of this month, spokesperson for the US-based pressure group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) said Thursday. The report complements UN Special Rapporteur, Prof. Philip Alston's, findings that the video is authentic. The rebuttals expose faulty assumptions, and erroneous conclusions made by Sri Lanka experts, whose "independence" was questioned by Alston, the report said.
The report identifies eleven issues raised by the Sri Lanka experts and shows that the issues are based on "either erroneous technical analyses, or arbitrary and/or unsubstantiated assertions."
The report points out that one of the key errors the Sri Lanka experts made was to calculate the distance between the weapon and the victim based on the video/audio delay measured from the recording. The report details how three other factors contribute to the "delay" of the audio, and that the distance should not be calculated assuming the delay is "only" due to the speed of sound.
Further, an analysis received from a technical expert from popular cell-phone manufacturer is also included in the report.
Summary of findings from two forensic firms based in Colorado, the Image and Sound Forensics (ISF), and Firearms & Ballistics Consultants, are included in the report. TAG said notarized affidavits are available for any legal matters arising from these findings.
Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, in a press meet earlier this month called for wider investigations into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka after three forensic experts hired by Alston and two previous independent analyses by Times On Line (UK), and TAG confirmed the authenticity of the video broadcast by Channel-4 in August.
Chronology:
Related Articles:
15.12.09 Times expert authenticates Sri Lanka's Channel-4 war-crimes ..
27.10.09 Sri Lanka editors receive death threats for Channel-4 video ..
18.09.09 Video investigation by Colombo not impartial - Alston
12.09.09 Executions: Sri Lanka refuting processed video, not original
28.08.09 Horrendous video images indicate violation of International ..
26.08.09 SLA war crimes eerily similar to Srebrenica Scorpions' terro..
25.08.09 Video shows style of extra-judicial killings in Sri Lanka
External Links:
The report identifies eleven issues raised by the Sri Lanka experts and shows that the issues are based on "either erroneous technical analyses, or arbitrary and/or unsubstantiated assertions."
Artist's rendition of executions
Further, an analysis received from a technical expert from popular cell-phone manufacturer is also included in the report.
Summary of findings from two forensic firms based in Colorado, the Image and Sound Forensics (ISF), and Firearms & Ballistics Consultants, are included in the report. TAG said notarized affidavits are available for any legal matters arising from these findings.
Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, in a press meet earlier this month called for wider investigations into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka after three forensic experts hired by Alston and two previous independent analyses by Times On Line (UK), and TAG confirmed the authenticity of the video broadcast by Channel-4 in August.
Chronology:
Related Articles:
15.12.09 Times expert authenticates Sri Lanka's Channel-4 war-crimes ..
27.10.09 Sri Lanka editors receive death threats for Channel-4 video ..
18.09.09 Video investigation by Colombo not impartial - Alston
12.09.09 Executions: Sri Lanka refuting processed video, not original
28.08.09 Horrendous video images indicate violation of International ..
26.08.09 SLA war crimes eerily similar to Srebrenica Scorpions' terro..
25.08.09 Video shows style of extra-judicial killings in Sri Lanka
External Links:
| IFPSL: | Irish Forum for Peace in Sri Lanka | |
| TAG: | Tamils Against Genocide |