The BBC and the word 'terrorism'...

The BBC, like the CBC, hates the word terrorist or terrorism. Here's an excerpt from Melanie Phillip's Diary on the latest from the BBC.

The BBC's censorhip of the 't' word gets worse and worse. In his statement to the Commons today, the Prime Minister repeatedly referred to terrorism. BBC Online's account of this speech excised those references almost entirely, with only one reference in a quote to 'the moment of terror striking'. But whereas Mr Blair said:

'It seems probable that the attack was carried out by Islamist extremist terrorists, of the kind who over recent years have been responsible for so many innocent deaths in Madrid, Bali, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kenya, Tanzania, Pakistan, Yemen, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco, of course in New York on September 11, but in many other countries too'

the BBC's version reads:

'Those responsible for killing 52 and injuring more than 700, probably Islamic extremists, would be hunted down.'

Mr Blair also said:

'Together, we will ensure that though terrorists can kill, they will never destroy the way of life we share and which we value, and which we will defend with the strength of belief and conviction so that it is to us and not to the terrorists, that victory will belong.'

But of course the BBC could not report these words because its Producer Guidelines forbid it from naming the particular threat that the Prime Minister has identified.