Mayday: 7. Managed Massacres

“ I have these epiphanies all the time, especially if I had anchovies on my pizza..” Could the White Helmets be involved in staging chemical attacks?

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

“Roger Waters - Reporting The Truth” Roger Waters YouTube channel, 6 December 2019

“Briefing by Chief of Main Operational Directorate of Russian General Staff Sergei Rudskoy” Минобороны России (Ministry of Defense of Russia) YouTube channel 17 March 2018

“Voices of people hiding in a basement in #EasternGhouta while #Assad regime & #Russia forces shell the area. Trying to destroy #Syria & kills its people or make them succumb to starvation & tyranny.” Dima Moussa @dimam78 Tweet 04 March 2018

Syria Gas Attack Victims Treated at Hospital, Syria Civil Defence video

“Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov - BBC HARDtalk rushes” - BBC HARDtalk exclusive, 17 April 2018

برومو رجل الثورة Revolution Man promotional video, 10 February 2018 - Movie Produced by the Syrian ministry of culture

“Gasping for life: Syria's merciless war on its own children” CNN كونتاك الحلقة

23 Panet46 (Contac Episode 23 Panet46) dailymotion - Shoof Drama شوف دراما

“Ethics Forum: Paul McKeigue (Edinburgh Usher Institute)” 25 January 2019 video from Jamie Smith on 12 February 2019, published on the University of Edinburgh website

“UN: Chlorine was placed in Douma by militants for provocative purposes –Russia's OPCW rep. Shulgin” 20 January 2020, Ruptly YouTube Channel (Ruptly is part of the same media family as RT) credit: UNIFEED-UNTV