Newsweek Dives on Koran Desecration Story
The editors of American news magazine, Newsweek are back-peddling furiously on the story they printed last week of the desecration of the Koran by interrogators in Guantanamo Bay. {ape}
Koran Desecration Story
C. L. Cook
May 15th, 2005
An illuminated page of the Koran by Ahmet Karahisari.
Rattled perhaps by the outrage reverberating around the Muslim world, the editors of Newsweek have thrown into doubt the veracity of a story they published last week detailing desecration of the Holy Koran as a tool to make reluctant prisoners talk.
The revelations sparked wide-spread demonstration throughout the Muslim world, leading to at least 15 deaths confirmed in Afghanistan, where demonstrators were fired on.
The May 9th Newsweek report said U.S.interrogators, "in at least one case, flushed a holy book down the toilet." They now say that may not have been correct. Newsweek Editor Mark Whitaker issued apologies to those harmed by their allegations of the violation of the Koran, saying: "We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the U.S. soldiers caught in its midst," Whitaker's remarks have been published in tomorrow's Newsweek edition.
Newsweek's sudden reversal was prompted by the failure of the story's source, a senior U.S. official can now no longer recall wehre he first read the U.S. military report revealing the "alleged" practice.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Iraq today, where violence continues to escalate. She tried to diffuse the desecration scandal yesterday, saying the reports were "abhorrent to us all."
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, a weekly public affairs program broad/webcast from CFUV Radio at the University of Victoria, Canada. He also serves as a contributing editor at Pej.org.
Check out his blog at gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com
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