Social media v mainstream media

Mohamad Tawhidi, the Australia-based 'Imam of Peace', has been tweeting updates on the Sri Lanka terrorist attacks ever since news of them broke, and I've been following him ever since. 

Why? Because he's been telling the story of the attacks in a very different way to mainstream media outlets like the BBC. 

It feels like he's been reporting what actually happened, straight and without covering-up information. 

Has he though? 

Well, maybe we can use him as an example: 

If it turns out that he's been wrong throughout then it will prove the danger of following 'irresponsible' social media accounts and I must learn to be much more careful. However, if it turns out that he's been right throughout then it shows the utter unreliability of the 'responsible' mainstream media who won't provide anything like the full, unfiltered story when attacks like this happen.

Here then, in chronological order, are a selection of Imam Mohamed Tawhidi's tweets:  

• At least 138 people killed and hundreds hospitalized from injuries in near simultaneous blasts that rocked three churches and three luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, in the biggest violence in Sri Lanka since its civil war ended a decade ago.
• Imam Mohamad Tawhidi Retweeted, CNN News 18: NewsAlert – "At least 2 blasts carried out by suicide bombers. Suicide bombers behind attack at Shangri La Hotel and Batticaloa Church. The suicide bombers has been identified as Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed". 
• New terrorist attacks are shaking Sri Lanka. This might require international interference. These terrorists seem to be well organised and we don’t know what else is going to happen. Perhaps they’re trying to divert security attention away from a main target. We don’t know.
• The lack of media interest in what’s happening in Sri Lanka is both disgusting and disgraceful.
• Imam Mohamad Tawhidi Retweeted, Tarek Fatah: "Two Muslim Suicide Bombers identified in  Sri Lanka attacks. Meet Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed aa death toll rises over 150."
• You know that you are not simply ‘Far-Left’, but an actual apologist for terrorists, when even CNN India names them as Islamic Extremists and you are insisting on acting as a lawyer for suicide bomber.
• Compare the level of outrage with what happened in Sri Lanka with Christchurch, NZ. Triple the amount of casualties and triple the amount of injured people. It offends me and other likeminded Muslims that we get special treatment and other equal humans don’t.
• Pakistani state-sponsored media is covering the tragedy in Sri Lanka by attacking President Trump over a typo in a deleted and corrected tweet. Let’s visit some Pakistani online forums to find them rejoicing over the attack just like they did when Notre Dame Cathedral was burning.
• Thank you Theresa May for showing concern over the buildings. I’m sure the hotel managers will appreciate this.
• Islamist terrorists targeted the Christians of Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammad killed at least 140 people and injured more than 560 others; these numbers are rapidly rising. This act of terror must be condemned internationally, by all of us.
• Truly sad to see Sri Lanka’s defence minister calling this an “unfortunate terrorist incident”. It is not only an “unfortunate incident” but an attack on your country and nation, causing the biggest attack since the civil war (which ended 10 years ago).
• The attacks in Sri Lanka are continuing and the deaths are rising. Sri Lanka should ask India to send in the black cats.
• JUST IN: Intelligence officials in Sri Lanka warned that terrorist elements, including the radical Islamic organization NTJ, would carry out a suicide attack in certain churches during Easter.
• Sri Lanka has seen a spike in Jihadi activity since 2017. The Parliament was told that 32 Muslims from elite families had joined ISIS.
• 7 terrorists arrested, 2 of the terrorists have been identified as Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed; BBC doesn’t mention their names. We don’t know yet if the 2 identified were suicide bombers, which makes them 9, or if they are 7 terrorists using planted bombs.
• Breaking: Local news channels are reporting that this is the image of Zahran Hashim, one of the terrorists responsible for the Sri Lanka attacks. Trust, but verify. It’s still too early to confirm, but do expect other moustache-less handsome faces to surface soon.
• Thread on statements of one of the terrorists responsible for Sri Lanka attacks identified as Zahran Hashim: ["Islam doesn't permit standing up for National flag. Hindus, Xtians, Budhdhas are Kafirs. Allah created this land for Muslims; Kafirs have the right to live, only Muslims have the right to rule. Loyalty of Muslims should only be for the Nation ruled by Muslims."]
• If you are silent about Sri Lanka attacks, know that this is an Islamist war against Jesus. Pick a side. I am standing with Jesus.
• “Sri Lanka Jihadi bomber waited in line at hotel buffet then unleashed devastation”.
• If you were wondering how 72 virgins were going to be enough for all these Jihadists, Einstein here has the solution: “Allah will transform the Non-Muslims into heavenly female virgins and the inhabitants of Paradise (all Muslims of course) will be ordered to penetrate them”.
• If you’re wondering why I’m not appearing on any media channels/radio to talk about recent events, that’s because I no longer give interviews to the media. I don’t have time for them. I’ll reach out to the journalists I trust (2-3) to get my message/perspective across. Thank You.
• We spend hours exposing extremists every day. This video & its background went unnoticed due to language barriers. If he was exposed & brought to the attention of the authorities, he could’ve been stopped. Sri Lanka terrorist: “Anyone who disagrees with Muslims should be killed”.
• The terrorist behind one of the bombings in Sri Lanka was an Islamist Extremist Imam and preacher by the name of Moulvi Zahran Hashim (with many lectures online and YouTube - makes you wonder why YT never banned him for his terrorist ideology). Anyway, here’s part of the report.
• Thank you to everyone retweeting what I share: articles, findings, research, news, videos and pictures exposing extremists. You are not doing me a favour. We are in this together, and we are fighting many battles to get the truth out (censorship/mass reporting/etc). Thank you.