technical analysis of channel 4 killing fields documentary
TRANSCRIPT
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF
CHANNEL 4 KILLING FIELDS
DOCUMENTARY
BACKGROUND
The first UK show was on Ch. 4 TV, in August 2009,
showing a naked bound man being shot from behind
The time difference between the gunshot sound and the
appearance of the image is 0.296 sec.
Hence the victim should be (considering the speed of
sound) 102 meters away. But the victim is only a few feet away
in the picture.
A plausible explanation was found by the SL Army CRD
by a field experiment.
296 ms
CORRESPONDING SOUND WAVEFORM HAS A DELAY OF 296 MILLISECONDS
Sound waveform of Gunshot starts here
The Gun fires here according to the video
FIELD EXPERIMENT
•The time line of the image lags the time line of the start of the audio data
Sound of the gunshot Gun fires on video
Time advance
•The sound records before the corresponding video images appear in the video stream
RESULT OF ANALYSIS
The sound records before the corresponding video images
in the equipment as per field experiment.
Thus the final conclusion is:
Audio stream has been added later and not properly
synchronized
Thus the time synchronization of the video has
become impaired during the dubbing and doctoring of the
original video
NEW Ch4 VIDEO SUBMITTED TO THE UN
•The “new” video is said to be the same old video with
“added footage” and drama to further authenticate the item.
•The video appears to depict unknown and unidentified
military members shooting two unidentified bound and
blindfolded individuals in the head at close range with AK-47
variants or similar assault rifles, as well as the presence of
several other unidentified deceased or dying individuals.
Contd….
NEW Ch4 VIDEO SUBMITTED TO THE UN
•The new recording contains the originally released
material, as well as additional video that purports to depict two
more shootings, extensive video of a collection of bodies at the
site, and video from what appears to be a second location with
four additional bodies visible.
Contd….
INDEPENDENT EXPERT
Executive director of IPTV systems Siri Hewawitharana, Sydney
(previously, head of Cisco’s global broadcast and digital video practice
division) has also examined the views given by the forensic video analysis
experts contracted by the UN, on new Ch4 video:
◦ Mr Grant Fredericks
◦ MR. Jeff S. Spivack
These views have been summarized in a news report in the Asian
Tribune, June 6, 2011.
Also Mr Grant’s conclusions match with our expert ( Siri
Hewawitharana) that video is edited, never came from mobile phone since
video consist of optical zooming and high quality motion vectors that came
from a video camera.
KILLING FIELDS OF SRI LANKA
Channel 4 aired a documentary on atrocities allegedly
committed by the Sri Lankan military on 15th June 2011.
A segment of the new video submitted to the document
has been added to the documentary.
The independent observers views on the UN expert’s
analysis on the new video strip is summarised subsequently:
EXCERPTS OF THE U.N ANALYSED VIDEO IN KILLING FIELDS
OPTICAL ZOOM
A wider image of the scene A closer image of the scene
Contd…
• Analysis by UN expert:
The camera used to record this segment has optical capability
as observed by Mr Grant Fredericks
Independent Observer’s views:
Mobile phones available in 2009 and at present do not have
optical zooming. Thus the image was recorded by a digital camera
with optical zoom capability as contrary to claims made by Ch4
that the video was recorded by soldiers using mobile phones. It
conclude that video never came from mobile source.
OPTICAL ZOOMContd…
MULTIPLE RECORDINGS
Cell phone operated by a short sleeved person
Cell phone operated by a long sleeved person
MULTIPLE RECORDINGS
Analysis by UN expert: Either two men were at same
location using the same mobile phone camera on two different
times in a single recording or same man was recorded twice
at two different time intervals.
Independent Observer analysis: This observation
provides a doubt whether multiple recordings taken on the
same event was done.. Conclusion is video use multiple video
clips and finally edited to give the impression of a recording of
a single consistent event.
ANOLMALY IN HEX STRINGS
•Analysis by UN expert: Comparisons of the hex strings of
item#1 and segment #2 of item #2 of video shows a deficit of 270
characters.
• Independent Observer analysis: This is a anomaly caused
by editing multiple recordings to form a single strip of video.
Same effects can happen if you change the video wrapper.
PIXEL DIMENSIONS OF VIDEO
• Analysis by UN expert:
It has been assumed that NOKIA 6620 has been used for
recording the video. It has 640 x 480 pixel dimensions for video
and 176 x 144 dimensions for still images.
The video has 176 x 144 pixel dimensions. The media
recording capabilities has been extended to record video of 176 x
144 pixel dimension matching the pixel dimension of the recorded
event.
• Independent Observer analysis: This is a misleading statement and
the pixel dimensions should be 640 x 480
INJURIES OF VICTIMS SHOT AT CLOSE RANGE
This image may have been digitally altered to depict close range gun shot
injuries to the skull.. Can be seen in next slide… Pixels does not match and
digital paint brush is used to show blood and other effects on and around
the boy.
INJURIES OF VICTIMS SHOT AT CLOSE RANGE
Analysis by UN expert: Injuries to the skull are authentic.
Independent Observer analysis:
Image is digitally altered using a digital paint brush.
Pixel mapping mismatch is quite clearly seen from
neck upwards.
DISSIMILAR SEGMENT IN AN NEWLY ADDED
VIDEO STRIP
•Analysis by UN expert: Ground appears to be less
saturated (i.e. dry) and none of the other killings are not to be
seen. It is likely that the segment was recorded by the same
camera at a different time on the same location.
• Independent Observer analysis:
The older video segment had simulated killings which
was rejected by GOSL claiming that sound was dubbed
and video is edited and dates does not match.
Contd…
DISSIMILAR SEGMENT IN AN NEWLY ADDED
VIDEO STRIP
The new video strip was recorded much later after
this claim taking into considerations the comments made
by GOSL on the older recording. This was added to the
older version and edited to appear as a single recorded
video strip.
NOTE:
As per UN expert analysis date the video has been recorded on 15th
July 2009, nearly two months after the end of the war.
Also video framing sequences are out of order and luminance levels
are quite different indicating video is heavily edited using different high
quality video camera and not by a mobile phone.
Contd…
•Check the timing counter: The end of the video with red line indicating two layers of
video at the top and audio (yellow bar)stopped well after the video indicating audio and
video is not synchronized.
•Edited video stopped at 05.25.000
•Edited audio stopped at red line, check the counter … it is different from the above
video counter.. New audio counter is 05.25.625
•See the two video layers.. and audio (yellow) between the original video and edited
video.
NUDE IMAGERY
•Channel 4 alleges depicting nude images of females, that
they have been sexually assaulted prior to their demise.
•The LTTE is renowned for detonating suicide bombs and
booby trapping cadavers.
•Hence, it is a practice to thoroughly search the cadaver to
ensure it has not been booby trapped and safe.
•Thus, most cadavers are partially stripped of over and
under garments and thus appear to be semi nude as seen in the
Ch4 documentary and the video submitted to the UN.
Contd…
NUDE IMAGERY
•This video is not new and part of the video that was taken
by a news reporter that was traveling with SL Army and
Army have nothing to hide here.
•It is not the Sri Lankan military culture to engage in
violating unarmed female prisoners or engage in necrophilia.
Contd…
LTTE NEWS PRESENTER
The Killing Fields documentary churned viewer sympathy and
subsequently create an aurora of horror and hatred against the Sri Lankan
military by implying the LTTE female newscaster is a non combatant who
was sexually molested and murdered by Sri Lankan troops.
In reality she was a hardcore combatant, a Lieutenant Colonel in the
out fit.
As the LTTE TV station was destroyed at the end of the war and she
was engaged in the final battle as a combatant.
Thus she has succumbed to the injuries gained in the battle, and have
been subsequently frisked for booby traps by the military as SOP for safety
of all present at location.
Lieutenant Colonel Issei Piriya LTTE warfare Communications/Publicity Wing
The body of a female LTTE cadre alleged by Ch4 as Lt Col Issei Piriya LTTE
Lt Col Issei Piriya in her voluntary role as LTTE newscaster
NEW FOOTAGE OF EXECUTIONS
•The killing fields documentary depicts a second execution
scene (execution scene 2) with new video footage.
•The footage shows three bound and blindfolded victims
being shot and killed by two or more khaki clad individuals
using AK47 weapons.
• It alleges the meta data of the video indicate it was
recorded on the 15th of June 2009.
• The blue and white stripped upper garments of the
victims appear to be spotless and free from mud and grime.
Contd…
NEW FOOTAGE OF EXECUTIONS
•Similarly the perpetrators’ garments appear to be dry
and boots appear to be dusty.
• The ground appear to be dry and climate sunny.
Contd…
Contd…
The climate at the area where the final battle took place
was wet due to intermittent rainfall. Thus the ground was
muddy.
Thus, the victims clothes should be covered in mud and
grime and similarly the perpetrators boots should be caked in
mud.
Analysis:
The entire scenes have been staged elsewhere possibly
in a different country of similar geography and climate by a
perverted sadistic party .
NEW FOOTAGE OF EXECUTIONS
Contd…
Contd…
Alternatively, the meta data can be set for a different
time line by the user. If so the video may have been taken
by the LTTE at a earlier date and the scene could have
been staged or the victims could have been prisoners of
LTTE.( Ref: Interrogation of Canadian authorities of a
LTTE cadre who has confessed to be involved in the
execution of 50 SL army prisoners held by the LTTE).
NEW FOOTAGE OF EXECUTIONS
Contd…
Contd…
THAMILVANI KUMAR: AN ALLEGED CIVILIAN
VICTIM
Thamilvany Kumar a bio medical student , who gave an interview on Killing Fields
documentary on alleged abuses amd molestation of tamil civilians by the military, is a UK
citizen.
She was in the Wanni to the end of operations, was brought safe to the Welfare Centre
in Vavuniya, and was permitted to leave after an appeal from the British government
BACKGROUND OF ALLEGED VICTIM A member of the TAMIL YOUTH ORGANIZATION of the LTTE.
Brought to Sri Lanka by Castro, former head of the LTTE foreign division
based in the Wanni.
Came from the UK as a volunteer to work with Castro.
Worked for the LTTE and was attached to the LTTE medical wing and
employed amongst government doctors as an LTTE agent.
Confirmed by the doctors who served at that time in the Wanni.
Analysis: Her claim to have come to the Wanni in 2008 to be with her relations
is dubious, as there was conflict at the time and no one without a suspicious ulterior
motive would have left immediate family to come into such a situation.
Conclusion: Thus her statements on abuse and molestation of civilians by the
military is questionable as she is a LTTE agent.
STAGED DRAMAS
Killing fields depict scenes where civilians are subjected to
aerial and heavy artillery bombardment.
The scenes depict dramatic action of civilians in panic
videoed with jerky camera motion giving the implication that the
cameraman is running and seeking shelter.
Contd…
Contd…
Contd…
This scene have been staged with civilians being forced
by the LTTE to bunkers.
Tamil Voice meaning is different to the actual broadcast
since it says “ we are in a production” meaning making a film.
Intelligence have known that during the last stages of the
humanitarian operations in Wanni, the LTTE sought
assistance of Channel 4 to make a documentary of this nature.
Thus such dramas could have possibly being “acted out”
as part of the documentary.
Contd…
STAGED DRAMAS
DISCUSSION
• Killing Fields depicts two scenes of execution of victims.
• Execution Scene : An edited summary of the video submitted
to the UN.
This scene has been refuted by the GOSL earlier as not
authentic and edited.
Independent expert has refuted on some aspects of the
UN expert opinion claiming the video to be authentic.
Thus the authenticity of scene is questionable.
If the mobile is not used as claimed by the ch4, whole
video is questionable ?
CONCLUSION
Most civilized countries have legislation prohibiting the airing
of gory horror, or profiting by showing executions, torture etc.
If one can show such gory, one tends to make money
A convenient way to side-step this norm is to claim the need to
bring out “war crimes”.
So, if the footage does not exist, one make a collage, with no
traceable source of the data and no author authentication as needed
in fair reporting.
The bottom line is THE BOTTOM LINE – making money.