The group, headed by Eliot Higgins, accused Russia's Ministry of Defense of falsifying satellite images released after the MH17 crash. Then a well-known Russian blogger debunked the Bellingcat revelations, exposing the incompetence of the so-called investigators.
RT TV channel decided to invite Higgins to discuss Billingcat's "findings." Instead of jumping at the opportunity to share his views or politely declining to participate in the show, Higgins opted for firing a barrage of sarcasm and insults at the channel and specifically In the Now host Anissa Naouai.
@bellingcat @MarkSleboda1 @INTHENOWRT "Attacks". Your "research" (bs) acceptable but coming from another source is an "attack"? #Bellingcrap
— In The Peninsula (@Inthepeninsula) 3 июня 2015
Have a look.
Higgins took to Twitter after receiving an email from RT. He posted a video of a Homer Simpson interview to communicate an idea of the heavy editing RT would surely engage in after talking to the self-described citizen investigative journalist.
Russia Today just emailed me to ask if I'd be on their #MH17 documentary. I suspect it would be rather like this https://t.co/txiW1nJc9W
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 2 июня 2015
For how could one possibly find truth on a channel like RT, right? Irony intended.
You won't find it on @INTHENOWRT, whether I'm there or not. https://t.co/rlq8hOadj3
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
Anissa Naouai was prepared for this, asking Higgins to do an interview live so that editing would not be an issue. Higgins responded that he had "plenty of time to express my views on other media without having to resort to appearing on Russia Today," which still is not a very strong argument.
@ANOWRT @INTHENOWRT Thanks but I get plenty of time to express my views on other media without having to resort to appearing on Russia Today
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
I don't do interviews on Russian government propaganda channels, like the one you work for. https://t.co/FiAnI1ztWs
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
A Twitter user asked Higgins to reconsider, it did not work either. Just to make sure, so is it a time issue or something else? We did not quite get it.
@BruMalek @ANOWRT I've plenty of real news organisations asking me to appear, I barely have time for those, let alone RT
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
Apparently, this was not enough. He once again refused, tweeting "I don't do appearances on Russian government owned propaganda channels."
I don't do appearances on Russian government owned propaganda channels https://t.co/A6N8KUECmr
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
Higgins did not leave reports of a Russian blogger debunking the Billingcat report without a comment, albeit a rude one.
Pity the poor Russia Today researcher, now searching for any shitty blogger to say mean things about me.
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
The British blogger also challenged Naouai to retweet a link to the Billingcat report, probably expecting the RT host to ignore it for some unknown reasons. Her response was perfect.
,@ANOWRT @INTHENOWRT If you're all for openness retweet the link I just sent you then. Help them "Question More"
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
Is this a test? @EliotHiggins thinks we can't retweet his accusations even though it was source of our segment tues. https://t.co/eqmxewD81W
— Anissa Naouai (@ANOWRT) 3 июня 2015
And then there was this unfounded but beloved Western accusation that RT, like any other media that offers an alternative to the mainstream Western narrative, does not do "real journalism." When no sound argument is available, there is always this one.
I wish Russia Today put as much time into go after me as they do on real journalism
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
.@RT_russian I'm going to print that tweet and frame it
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) 3 июня 2015
