|
|
|
December 18, 2003
A link to a report based on a story which turned out to be a fabrication?
A hoax. A @*%&! hoax. And that hoax generated this report by Glenn Reynolds, who never asserted it was true, specifically cautioning that it was big news "if it pans out." It turns out that it didn't. Because my additional observations on that post got me an Instalanche, I stand squarely in the chain of evidence and my post may have compounded the error -- notwithstanding the fact that the fabrication was reported by the Daily Telegraph and widely circulated and commented upon by others. The whole thing makes me feel quite apologetic -- and obligated to add this separate post (in addition to updating my original post), because I try to keep this blog as accurate as I can, which means pointing out errors as soon as I become aware of them. Anyway, tonight, as I was getting caught up with stuff I missed, I found out that the story (that Abu Nidal trained Muhammad Atta) was "a fabrication that is contradicted by U.S. law-enforcement records." (Via InstaPundit.) How dare they (whoever "they" are) make this stuff up? You sure as hell can't blame the bloggers for commenting on it. Not after the story was carried in the Daily Telegraph. This is just part of life. The important thing is to correct the errors and go on. In any event, the fabricated story inspired me to revisit the old news reports of Abu Nidal's death. I still think the reasons given for his suicide are fishy as hell, and (as I said) disinformation. Years ago I read a biography of Abu Nidal (aka Sabri al Banna) and from what I know about the man, he was too much of a disciplined, master-terrorist to commit suicide. I don't know what he was doing in Iraq, but I doubt it was fun-in-the-sun -- or even studying Mesopotamian archaeology! But, whether his death was suspicious or not, the evidence linking Abu Nidal to Muhammad Atta now appears to be false. And that's the end of the hoax as far as I'm concerned. Unless someone accuses bloggers of deliberately circulating a false story. Funny what people can say over time.... Hope that doesn't happen. In any case, my sincerest apologies to all! posted by Eric on 12.18.03 at 09:31 PM
Comments
Interesting link. Thank you! It's tough to analyze these things without having access to the facts. I try not to accept anything on faith -- and it certainly makes a lot of sense for a skilled operative like Atta to cover his tracks if he traveled illegally to Iraq on the eve of a major event. Eric Scheie · December 20, 2003 08:24 AM That's interesting. Hoax? Thanks to you and Glenn for catching it. I'm trying to recall if I linked to that any or not, and can't... oh well. As you say, can't blame blogdom for linking it when it's presented as news in a major outlet. Does make an object lesson in not trusting major media outlets without fact checking though. Ironbear · December 22, 2003 10:10 PM |
|
March 2007
WORLD-WIDE CALENDAR
Search the Site
E-mail
Classics To Go
Archives
March 2007
February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 May 2002 See more archives here Old (Blogspot) archives
Recent Entries
• War For Profit
• How trying to prevent genocide becomes genocide • I Have Not Yet Begun To Fight • Wind Boom • Isaiah Washington, victim • Hippie Shirts • A cunning exercise in liberation linguistics? • Sometimes unprincipled demagogues are better than principled activists • PETA agrees -- with me! • The high pitched squeal of small carbon footprints
Links
Site Credits
|
|
Hey, I gloated even more than you did! Dan Darling points out that the 2 Newsweek reporters seem to have a thing for debunking certain U.S. intelligence reports, and makes some other interesting points.
We will know more when the coalition forces capture Habbush (former head of iraq intel), or when he surrenders. I still have my fingers crossed on that.