Agency said to be editing images to improve depiction of Muslim attackers

Is Reuters cropping news photos to improve the image of Muslim flotilla attackers?

As WND reported, activists on a six-ship flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip had planned to lynch the Israeli commandos who stormed the ship, according to indications at the scene encountered by Israeli forces.

Israeli navy commandos raided the flotilla, encountering heavy resistance and live fire from the activists. Several activists were killed and dozens were reportedly injured, as were several of the Israeli commandos.

During the boarding of one of the ships, the Marmara, pro-Palestinian activists onboard attacked Israel Defense Forces Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs, an IDF spokesperson said.

Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs spotted the purported alteration after comparing one photo released by Islamist website IHH to another released by Reuters.

The following May 31 photo of a bloody Israeli commando being taken hostage aboard the Marmara appeared on IHH. A knife can be seen on the right side as well as the bloody hand of another wounded person:

Instead of the above version, Reuters allegedly cropped the photo to appear without the knife and blood:

WND found the following Reuters photo (with the knife) posted on June 7, one day after the Little Green Footballs report accusing the news agency of selectively cropping the photo:

ohnson also documented another alleged knife cropping by the news agency. The following photo of an Israeli commando was released by Turkish newspaper Hurriyet. One of the "peace activists" can be seen holding a knife:

However, Johnson claims Reuters ran the following photo June 6, cropping the knife out of the picture:

WND found the following uncropped Reuters photo posted June 7, one day after Johnson's report:

Reuters told Fox News it had no intention of altering the political meanings of the photographs.

"The images in question were made available in Istanbul, and following normal editorial practice were prepared for dissemination, which included cropping at the edges," Reuters said in a statement. "When we realized that a dagger was inadvertently cropped from the images, Reuters immediately moves the original set as well."

Manipulated Associated Press photo of Condoleezza Rice published online by USA Today

Johnson notes that these cases are not the first time Reuters has been accused of altering news photos. A 2006 photo of Beirut buildings following an Israeli air raid showed thick, black plumes of smoke that appeared to be doctored, according to his report.

As WND reported, a similar incident occurred in 2005 when USA Today pulled a photograph of Condoleeza Rice from its website after a weblog revealed it was manipulated, giving the former secretary of state a menacing, demon-eyesing stare.

After a host of blogs highlighted the photo, USA Today removed it, claiming an editor sharpened the photo and brightened a portion of Rice's face, "giving her eyes an unnatural appearance."

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