Intrigue BBC Podcasts

In a secret location in a European city is an archive that contains over a million documents. It’s run by a tough-talking Canadian, Bill Wiley, who set up an evidence-gathering organisation funded by Western governments.

Using undercover criminal investigators operating inside a war zone, the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA) has spent the last eight years extracting official documents from Syria. Wiley says that evidence will prove that the Assad regime has been responsible for a campaign of torture and murder against its own people.

CIJA's documents are being used right now in a criminal case in the West to prosecute members of the Syrian regime. But there are those who would discredit the evidence and the people who gather it. These include a group of respected academics here in the UK who are accused of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about the war, twisting the narrative so that the Syrian regime becomes the victim and the British government bears responsibility for war crimes.

It is a new kind of warfare being fought not on the ground but on the internet. Who will win?

Writer, producer and presenter Chloe Hadjimatheou
Editor Emma Rippon
Researchers Orla O’Brien and Lara Al Gibaly
Executive producer Maggie Latham
Sound design and mix Neil Churchill
Mark Fleischman played the role of Prof Paul McKeigue and the role of Ivan
Commissioner for Radio 4 Richard Knight

Correction: We stated that Feras Fayyad won an Oscar - instead his films were nominated on two occasions for an Oscar but did not win.

The Evidence Gatherers, a new episode of Mayday coming soon, available from 6 April.

“The crime scene had been left unguarded for two weeks”. What really happened in the Douma massacre? This episode is a diversion from the story of the life and death of James Le Mesurier. It’s about one of the most contested events in the war - the chemical attack in the town of Douma in 2018. Unravelling what really happened there takes us to the heart of the global race to control the narrative of the Syrian war. 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.

This episode contains a description of the aftermath of a chemical attack.

This episode has been edited since original publication following a complaint.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/ecu/mayday-the-canister-on-the-bed-radio-4-20-november-2020

Produced, written and presented by Chloe Hadjimatheou
Editor: Emma Rippon
Researcher: Tom Wright
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Sound Design and Mixing by Neil Churchill
With additional mixing by Graham Puddifoot and Gareth Jones
Arabic translation and additional research: Vanessa Bowles, Abdul Kader Habak
Turkish Researcher: Nevin Sungur
Narrative Consultant: John Yorke
Original music: Nick Mundy
Final track Zamilou by Bu Kolthoum

“They will be targeted for the rest of their lives.” Where does that leave everyone else?

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

“Statement by Amb.Nebenzia on addressing the issue of linkages between terrorism and organized crime” RussiaUN YouTube channel, 07 August 2020

“UK in Syria- Creating A Dystopian Shadow State Ft Vanessa Beeley on British Constitution Group” ICIT Digital Library, 02 May 2017

Vanessa Beeley Twitter posts @VanessaBeeley

“My love it’s 10 times worse than we thought.” Things start to unravel.

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

Various Newspaper headlines

Express Tribune Pakistan: Founder of Syrian 'White Helmets' found dead in Istanbul 12/11/2019

The Scotsman British army officer and founder of Syria volunteers found dead by Margaret Neighbour 11/11/2019

Daily Sabah, Istanbul Officials reveal White Helmets founder's cause of death 20/11/2019

“Entrevista exclusiva com James Le Mesurier no CIBE BRAZIL 2017 – Bombeiros” (“Exclusive interview with James Le Mesurier at CIBE BRAZIL 2017 – Firefighters”) CBMGO YouTube channel, 26 September 2017

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

Brandpunt - Witte helmen” (Focal point - Season 1 - White helmets) - KRO-NCRV, 08 Nov 2016. Reporter Piet de Blaauw

“I had to do it because my colleagues faced death.” Now the rescuers need saving.

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

* Abdulhadi video – Syria’s White Helmets: Mask of Terror report. Anna News Agency Documentary, January 5th, 2017 Uploaded to Daily Motion by Sayed Hasan

ARCHIVE TRUMP WITHDRAWAL: Press conference April 3rd 2018 – Source Reuters via The Washington Post website