NBC investigators look into Brian Williams interview on the Daily Show about his reporting from Arab Spring protests

  • Anchor said that he 'made eye contact' with Egyptian government soldier on horse when the Tahrir Square protests became violent
  • Williams told Jon Stewart that soldier then beat protesters with whip
  • Doubts raised about whether he was actually on the square in early 2011
  • His dispatches from the time of the uprising were done at balcony above it 
  • NBC committee investigating Williams is reportedly looking at the incident
  • Review of his reporting continues after Iraq experiences were inflated

By Christopher Brennan For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Investigative journalists looking into possible exaggerations told by Brian Williams about his reporting are focusing on another episode from the NBC broadcasters career, his time reporting in Egypt.

A team at NBC tasked with delving into allegations that the former network star has misrepresented his experiences in war zones is looking at tales he's told about the Tahrir Square anti-government uprising in early 2011.

A February clip from Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart sees the anchor launch into a story about how he 'made eye contact' with a government soldier on a horse who was beating protesters.

However, there is no footage of Williams actually on the square during what he called the moment demonstrations 'turned sour' and descended into violence.

Scroll down for video  

NBC's committee investigating the alleged misrepresentation of reporting experiences made by Brian Williams (left) are looking at a February 2011 interview he gave to Jon Stewart (right) about the Arab Spring

NBC's committee investigating the alleged misrepresentation of reporting experiences made by Brian Williams (left) are looking at a February 2011 interview he gave to Jon Stewart (right) about the Arab Spring

Egyptian experience: The latest specific Williams tall tale to emerge dates to 2011 in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Williams said he stared into the eyes of mounted regime soldiers during a violent protest

The anchor said he caught the eye of the lead mounted government soldier before violence at Cairo's Tahrir Square made the situation 'turn sour' Above, Williams speaks to protesters at another point in the protest

Describing the deteriorating situation in Cairo, Williams said he caught the eye of the mounted soldier before he turned a corner and used a whip to begin 'beating human beings'.

However, doubts have been raised about whether Williams, who said the violence he witnessed turned the city into a 'don't leave your hotel' situation, was at Tahrir Square.

His dispatches from the country at the time said that he was reporting from a balcony above the protest center, according to the New York Times.

It is not known exactly which parts of Williams's Egypt reporting are being focused on by the NBC committee investigating him.

In other parts of the Jon Stewart interview, the longtime Nightly News anchor tells about seeing streams of protesters coming in from suburban Cairo along the Nile with banners.

Williams was suspended in February amid allegations that he had lied about being in a helicopter that was shot down in Iraq in 2003

Williams was suspended in February amid allegations that he had lied about being in a helicopter that was shot down in Iraq in 2003

Williams (pictured in Baghdad in March 2007) has been questioned about the accuracy of his reporting from war zones

Williams (pictured in Baghdad in March 2007) has been questioned about the accuracy of his reporting from war zones

He also said that his crew in Egypt had no body armor and that his 'security guys' were unarmed because of the country's gun laws. 

Questions about the accuracy of Williams's reporting come after he was suspended by his network for six months after a military newspaper questioned his account of being shot down in a helicopter in 2003, which soldiers say never happened to him.

Williams had repeated the Iraq story multiple times afterwards, and doubts were soon raised about another helicopter incident in Israel in 2006 and the way he received a piece of the US helicopter that crashed when Navy SEALs killed Osama Bin Laden. 

It is not known when the NBC investigation will conclude and make recommendations about Williams's future.

Journalists in the news organization's Washington, D.C., bureau were strongly against his return during a February meeting about the matter, according to the Washington Post.

Williams' suspension is finished in early August. 

Most watched News videos