Mayday: 4. Hoax Producers

“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