NBC Show Uses ‘Catch a Predator’ Tactics on War Criminals
U.S. officials are expressing reservations about an upcoming NBC series that uses To Catch a Predator tactics to confront alleged war criminals and terrorists living in the United States.
In one upcoming program, NBC investigates a Maryland college professor and confronts him with allegations that he participated in genocide in Rwanda, the New York Times reports. The Goucher College professor, Leopold Munyakazi, “vigorously denied the allegations” in an interview with the Times and said he actually saved a number of people.
Munyakazi has applied for asylum and was arrested last week for overstaying his visa. He was indicted after criticizing the Rwandan government’s position on genocide in a speech, the Times story says.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has expressed concern that the program could hamper investigations, the story says. Some human rights advocates fear the network is proceeding based on insufficient evidence and collaboration with foreign governments.
The president of Goucher College, Sanford Ungar, is a former host of All Things Considered on National Public Radio. He told the Times that journalists should not work in conjunction with governmental entities. “If the prosecutor has evidence or has concerns he wants to present, why is he doing it in the company of NBC News?” he asked.
