Jennifer Griffin sticking by report on journalists being used as human shields in Libya

By Chris Ariens 

Fox News’s Jennifer Griffin was back on the air tonight repeating information she’d learned earlier today — information that has CNN correspondent Nic Robertson so incensed he’s been on CNN tonight talking as much about the war on the ground, as he is this battle with Fox News.

Griffin phoned into “On the Record” following a live report by correspondent Steve Harrigan — himself criticized by Robertson: “I see him more times at breakfast that I see him out on trips with government officials here,” said Robertson of Harrigan.

Griffin did not get into the media-on-media fracas touched off by her report earlier today in which British sources told her their mission last night was cut short because of the presence of the Western journalists and several Libyan civilians.

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“They felt that the civilians and journalists had effectively been used as human shields and that was frustrating to them,” said Griffin tonight. “It was a very close call. In fact one official told me that there was a Reuters crew literally on a spot where they were going to drop a missile.”

But Griffin returned at 10:36 to clarify her reporting…

Earlier today I reported that Fox News had not gone to Gaddafi’s compound while journalists from other news outlets such as CNN and Reuters had in fact gone. I’ve since learned that FOX did indeed go. Tonight I learned that although reporter Steve Harrigan opted not to go and instead remained back at his hotel. He wanted to stay on the air, I’m told to provide full coverage of what was going on in Libya. He did in fact send a security guard with a camera to Gaddafi’s compound. I did not know about that earlier today. I became aware of that this evening. That was my mistake and I apologize for that.

Griffin is sticking by her original report that “the Libyan government is using journalists as human shields.”

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