Lutfi Arsi

Update February 2017: images have emerged which refute the BBC’s claim that Lutfi Arsi “died on his way to hospital in Turkey”. See here.

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According to Saving Syria’s Children 14 year old Lutfi Arsi “was in the playground when the bomb landed”. The BBC states that he “died on his way to hospital in Turkey”.

Notably, while he is filmed being carried into Atareb Hospital by two men, in other scenes he walks without any apparent difficulty.

In the tableau sequence Arsi rises up from the floor and proceeds to flail his head and torso and roll his eyes as a team of medics dramatically sweeps in around him.

Arsi features prominently throughout the hospital scenes. These sequences are to a very great extent non-chronological, for example Arsi’s arrival at the hospital is the third sequence in which he features. Arsi does not seem to be in distress at any point, appearing alert, curious and helpful in some scenes, relaxed, even bored, in others.

At 38:17 in Saving Syria’s Children Dr Ahsan refers to the severity of Arsi’s alleged burns as follows: “they’re all 50 and above – he’s 86”.

On 8 February 2014 Ian Pannell wrote of Arsi: “He, like all the victims received morphine upon arrival at the hospital. He, like all the victims was in shock. Here [at 32:26, ambling in the yard] you describe him as casual. I would describe him as doped-up, dazed, confused and in shock. You can see the large swathes of skin on his face that had burned off. He died.”

A practicing medical doctor has stated of the Saving Syria’s Children victims “Some are shown with skin hanging off but the flesh beneath is not that convincing it actually looks like more skin.” (Note final image below and first two images of Ahmed Darwish here).

In respect of all the alleged victims featured in Saving Syria’s Children, please note the existence and sophistication of HOSPEX “macro simulation” techniques and the personal connection which exists between Dr Saleyha Ahsan and an army officer in charge of running HOSPEX exercises.

Lutfi Arsi’s appearances in Saving Syria’s Children are as follows:

• 32:26 – ambling in the yard, shirtless, covered in burns cream
• 33:05 – 33:44 – milling around among other alleged casualties inside the hospital, calmly inspecting some of the other alleged casualties, helpfully directing a member of staff towards other alleged casualties, then ambling towards the window where he casually pulls up a chair and sits on it. In this sequence he is wearing only underpants on the lower part of his body.
• 34:06 – 34:13 – being carried  into the hospital, jeans lowered somewhat
• 34:19 – flailing his head and torso amid the main tableau of young males, jeans lowered somewhat
• 35:01 – in the process of having his jeans removed
• 35:12 – 35:14 – water being poured over him, jeans lowered somewhat
• 37:25  – rocking on bed, shirtless, covered in burns cream
• 37:51 – walking, attached to a drip, shirtless, covered in burns cream
• 38:13 – shirtless, covered in burns cream, having his alleged injuries discussed by Dr Ahsan and Dr Hallam; he is alert and inquisitive, and sits up to peer at the camera

Lutfi Arsi being carried into Atareb Hospital at 34:10 in Saving Syria’s Children

Arsi in “tableau” scene (see http://bit.ly/1DlUs70)

Arsi ambles around Atareb Hospital courtyard without impediment, after having previously been carried into the premises by two men

Still of Arsi provided by BBC Audience Services in complaints correspondence (see Word download here http://bit.ly/1JfUqTD)

Lutfi Arsi at 37:25 in ‘Saving Syria’s Children’

Lutfi Arsi sits up and peers inquisitively into the camera at 38:15 in Saving Syria’s Children as Dr Ahsan states “they’re all 50 and above – he’s 86”. (Dr Ahsan is referring to the degree of Arsi’s alleged burns).

About Robert Stuart

Researching the 2013 BBC Panorama documentary Saving Syria's Children and associated BBC News reports.

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