The dawn of disinformation
The New EuropeanMay 19, 2023
Britain, US Accused of Blocking Probe Into 1961 Plane Crash That Killed UN Chief
The Facts
Academic researchers claimed at a conference in London on Thursday that the UK and US have blocked and shown contempt for the UN inquiry into a 1961 plane crash that killed UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and 15 others.
This comes as both countries declined at the end of 2022 to co-sponsor a resolution at the UN General Assembly to continue the years-long investigation, despite the latest reports having found that an external attack or threat was a plausible cause for the disaster.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Unfounded claims that American spies masterminded the death of Hammarskjöld are anything but new, as the KGB used to diffuse this and other allegations during the Cold War to try to erode trust in American institutions and sow divisions among NATO allies. It's shocking that this disinformation is now pervading Western universities.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's a matter of fact that both US intelligence agencies and the British colonial administration of Rhodesia had their reasons to want Hammarskjöld dead. Although motives don't necessarily mean guilt, it's immensely concerning that both nations are continuing to restrict records that could help finally elucidate this mystery.