There's been some confusion as to who broke the 'Jihadi John' story this morning.
The Telegraph started a live blog about at 10.50am, citing The Washington Post. A minute later came this tweet from BBC Breaking News, linking to a newly-posted BBC online article:
IS militant known as 'Jihadi John', believed to have beheaded hostages, is Mohammed Emwazi from London, BBC learns http://t.co/nNnPzm9whH
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) February 26, 2015
The early versions of that BBC article, as Newssniffer shows, also claimed the story for the BBC:
The masked Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John", who has been pictured in the videos of the beheadings of Western hostages, has been named.
The BBC understands he is Mohammed Emwazi, a British man believed to be from West London, who was known to British security services.
Shortly after terrorist expert Shiraz Maher took to Twitter to set matters straight:
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, the journalist who knew about Jihadi John and who broke this story is @adamgoldmanwp. Superb work.
— Shiraz Maher (@ShirazMaher) February 26, 2015
Adam Goldman of the Washington Post also soon took to Twitter:
I love @BBC but they don't have much of the story: @smekhennet and I own this: http://t.co/uEXEZXDbMj
— Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanwp) February 26, 2015
ITV's deputy political editor Chris Ship wasn't impressed with the BBC:
@adamgoldmanwp @smekhennet Over here, BBC often claim a story is "theirs" when it's someone else's work. (Well done by the way)
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) February 26, 2015
The latest versions of the BBC article have removed the suggestions that it's a BBC scoop:
The masked Islamic State militant known as "Jihadi John", who has been pictured in the videos of the beheadings of Western hostages, has been named.
He is Mohammed Emwazi, a Kuwaiti-born British man in his mid-20s from west London, who was previously known to British security services.
Update: However, later that very same day....
"The BBC has revealed that his name is Muhammed Emwasi." I think she meant: "The Washington Post revelealed and the BBC is lying".
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) February 26, 2015
Profuse apologies to @LucyManning re the Emwasi exclusive. She assures me she was on air before WP posted their story. Very sorry Lucy.
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) February 26, 2015
Looks like @BBCNewsnight owe @lucymanning an apology too. They say WP were first to the Emwasi story & they are speaking to the journo!
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) February 26, 2015
Good thread on all this on Harry's Place. http://hurryupharry.org/2015/02/26/jihadi-john/#comments#disqus_thread
ReplyDelete'Cage' , 'Amnesty' , Moazzam Begg etc etc.
Still it all helps bury the immigration figures: 624,000 (at least, this being on the government's own dodgy figures).
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