The eleventh chapter, Targeting the Witness , documents the ways in which Al Jazeera has been targeted since its launch, starting with licensing refusal or withdrawal, to closing bureaus, arresting its journalists, jamming broadcast signals, and ending with the bombing of its bureaus and killing correspondents. This chapter examines various types of threats Al Jazeera has faced throughout its journey. Some of these threats came from regional and global leaders, and others came from political and sectarian pressure groups. It also addresses succes- sive attempts to destroy the network’s reputation and defame its charac- ter; meant to undermine Al Jazeera’s credibility, tarnish its image, and link it to extremism and terrorism. We hope this collective work achieves its goals by presenting a documented and verified account of Al Jazeera’s experience to its read- ers, with a deep dive into its affairs and some of its implications. It draws a clear picture of the institution’s establishment, developmen- tal stages, and work methods. This book responds to some of the un- answered questions preoccupying researchers and others interested in Al Jazeera’s pioneering experience, as well as correcting some of the common misconceptions about the global Network since its founding twenty-five years ago.
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