Mayday - Ep4: Hoax Producers - a podcast by BBC Radio 4

“There’s something addictive about uncovering the world as it really is.” The allegations begin.

When James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 he left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou
Editor: Emma Rippon
Researcher: Tom Wright
Mixed by: Neil Churchill
Arabic translation and additional research: Vanessa Bowles, Abdul Kader Habak
Turkish researcher: Nevin Sungur
Narrative Consultant: John Yorke
Original music: Nick Mundy and Bu Kolthoum
Production Coordinator - Gemma Ashman

REFERENCES

“MARK DEVLIN WITH NICK KOLLERSTROM ON THE PAUL McCARTNEY REPLACEMENT, LONDON, FEBRUARY 2019” - Mark Devlin YouTube channel, 5 April 2019, video of a lecture hosted by “Keep Talking,” filmed and edited by Alan Bariffi

“KEEP TALKING - Vanessa Beeley on The White Helmets & the billionaires funding Regime Change” - Ian Fantom YouTube channel, 17 Jul 2019

“Is Le Mesurier an Epstein?” - Fault Lines, Sputnik International, 12 November 2019

“Child Rescued From Airstrike Rubble in Aleppo” - Wall Street Journal, footage originally from Aleppo Media Center, 18 Aug 2016

Kate Baldwin CNN News Report about Omran - CNN, 18 August 2016

“تلبيسة 10-10-2016 طفلة مصابة تنادي والدها” (“An injured child calls out to her father”) “talbisa h” YouTube channel

“Bashar al-Assad speaks to Swiss television” from “swissinfo.ch” – film of an interview with Swiss public television, SRF, In an interview with Swiss public
television, SRF, aired 20 Oct 2016

“Is Le Mesurier an Epstein?” - Fault Lines, Sputnik International, 12 November 2019

“Operation Pillar of Defense Day 7; Gaza press building under an Israeli air strike” – Reuters – published on Haaretz הארץ YouTube channel, 20 Nov 2012

The Wall Will Fall – Vanessa Beeley’s blog

“Palestine : Conference Laurent Louis Dieudonne Marion Sigaut Jacob Cohen Samir Belgium United” - Belgium United YouTube Channel - audio and video editing: Samir Prod Y2J for: Belgium United and MetaTv Belgium

“US Peace Council on Syria (Arab/Eng) مجلس السلام الأمريكي على سوريا Ft Vanessa Beeley on Syrian TV” - ICIT Digital Library

“White Helmets' black record: 'Real Syrian civil defence groups describe them as terrorists'” – RT

“White Helmets' bizarre ‘mannequin challenge’ in Syrian warzone” – RT

“'WTF White Helmets': Bizarre ‘mannequin challenge’ in Syrian warzone (VIDEO)” - RT

“UK in Syria- Creating A Dystopian Shadow State Ft Vanessa Beeley on British Constitution Group” - ICIT Digital Library

“Bashar al-Assad speaks to Swiss television” from “swissinfo.ch” – film of an interview with Swiss public television, SRF, In an interview with Swiss public television, SRF, aired 20 Oct 2016

BBC Monitoring copy of HTS video

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