Koran desecration report 'wrong'

[crisis]

"US magazine Newsweek has said it erred in reporting that a copy of the Koran had been flushed down a toilet at Guantanamo Bay by US interrogators.
It said a US military investigation had failed to corroborate the story and apologised for carrying the report. "


"In Pakistan, an alliance of six conservative Islamic parties has already rejected Newsweek's retraction.

Alliance leader, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, said it was "a crude attempt, both by the weekly magazine and the American authorities to defuse the anger of the Muslims across the world". "

In its latest edition, Newsweek's editor writes that its original source is not sure where he saw the assertion.

"We regret that we got any part of our story wrong, and extend our sympathies to victims of the violence and to the US soldiers caught in its midst," the editor, Mark Whitaker, writes.

In its new account, the magazine says that one of its reporters spoke to "his original source, the senior government official, who said that he clearly recalled reading investigative reports about mishandling the Koran, including a toilet incident".

"But the official, still speaking anonymously, could no longer be sure that these concerns had surfaced" in a forthcoming report by the US military, the magazine added.

Mr Whitaker told the Reuters news agency that he no longer knew whether the occurrence was genuine.

"As to whether anything like this happened, we just don't know," he said.


?!

[CHEESE-TACULAR]

?!
is right... :(

[spi-ti-tout]

No-one can really prove anything. So I'm not very outraged or taken-aback. Nothing can really be said. "Innocent until proven guilty"

I wouldn't be surprised if it did happen though. After that "Bush Admin caught forcing info out of prisoners...." anything could happen. That thread only takes us to one more level of certainty.

[taz_rocks_miami]

I don't think Newsweek ever thought of the kind violent responce their article would have. IMO they bowed to White House presure to retract and minimize the damage.

[ZeTurbo]

Must have been a darn big toilet for a book like the koran to go through...


"As to whether anything like this happened, we just don't know," he said.
wow, newsweek rocks.
doesnt this defy the whole point of journalism??? :confused:

[Coventrysucks]

I don't think Newsweek ever thought of the kind violent responce their article would have.

I don't think any reasonable person would expect thousands of people in a foreign country to go on a violent ramapge because someone claimed to have flushed a book down the toilet.

[crisis]

I don't think any reasonable person would expect thousands of people in a foreign country to go on a violent ramapge because someone claimed to have flushed a book down the toilet.
Perhaps a slight understatement but maybe indicative of how we all dont undertand other cultures as wellas we think.

[taz_rocks_miami]

I don't think any reasonable person would expect thousands of people in a foreign country to go on a violent ramapge because someone claimed to have flushed a book down the toilet.

Not just a book Coventry, a Holly book. Christians and Jews would react with outrage if it had been the Bible or the Tora. Muslims are among the most devout people I have ever met. I'm not surprised at their reaction.

[Coventrysucks]

Christians and Jews would react with outrage if it had been the Bible or the Tora.

I doubt that very much.

There certainly wouldn't be bloody riots, a few disgruntled phone calls into radio talk shows perhaps...

Certainly no Christians I know would be that upset or even bothered.

[AstonMartinV12]

how the hell would you get a book down a toilet anyway'

[Quiggs]

I think it was more the process of dropping the book in and flushing. The book wouldn't be expected to go down, it's more symbolic. Kinda like giving a swirley.

[crisis]

I doubt that very much.

There certainly wouldn't be bloody riots, a few disgruntled phone calls into radio talk shows perhaps...

Certainly no Christians I know would be that upset or even bothered.
I think the "flush down" phrase is to be taken literally.
Certainly msot modern day Christians are too apathetic (and hopefully civilised ) to go to the extremes some of the Muslim extremists are.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's latest speech is a horrible example of the thinkning of some of these people.
“Killing Muslims who are acting as a shield is not the most preferable option, but is necessary if you must kill them to get at the enemy. If you do not kill the Muslim shield, the enemy will kill the Muslims anyway.”
“restoring the religion is more important than restoring the soul.”
“concentrate our suicide operations, to shake up the presence of the enemy in these cities and compel him to get out of the cities and go to places in which the enemy can be sniped.”
“My killing Muslims… is defending ourselves. The purpose of this is to defend the whole nation from the enemy.”
“the cross-worshippers themselves said it is a crusaders’ war and they came to Iraq killing and humiliating Muslims with the help of the Shi’a… these hateful Shiites (nice spray at other Muslims who dont subscribe to his particularyl warped understanding of the relgion) are trying, by any means showing their care about the Iraqi blood, to discredit the mujahideen to make the world see them as bloodsuckers.”

[CHEESE-TACULAR]

I think the "flush down" phrase is to be taken literally.
Certainly msot modern day Christians are too apathetic (and hopefully civilised ) to go to the extremes some of the Muslim extremists are.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's latest speech is a horrible example of the thinkning of some of these people.
“Killing Muslims who are acting as a shield is not the most preferable option, but is necessary if you must kill them to get at the enemy. If you do not kill the Muslim shield, the enemy will kill the Muslims anyway.”
“restoring the religion is more important than restoring the soul.”
“concentrate our suicide operations, to shake up the presence of the enemy in these cities and compel him to get out of the cities and go to places in which the enemy can be sniped.”
“My killing Muslims… is defending ourselves. The purpose of this is to defend the whole nation from the enemy.”
“the cross-worshippers themselves said it is a crusaders’ war and they came to Iraq killing and humiliating Muslims with the help of the Shi’a… these hateful Shiites (nice spray at other Muslims who dont subscribe to his particularyl warped understanding of the relgion) are trying, by any means showing their care about the Iraqi blood, to discredit the mujahideen to make the world see them as bloodsuckers.”
ill i can do is sigh and say that Muslims dont need that kind of publicity...especially at this time and age :(

[taz_rocks_miami]

I think the "flush down" phrase is to be taken literally.
Certainly msot modern day Christians are too apathetic (and hopefully civilised ) to go to the extremes some of the Muslim extremists are.
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's latest speech is a horrible example of the thinkning of some of these people.
“Killing Muslims who are acting as a shield is not the most preferable option, but is necessary if you must kill them to get at the enemy. If you do not kill the Muslim shield, the enemy will kill the Muslims anyway.”
“restoring the religion is more important than restoring the soul.”
“concentrate our suicide operations, to shake up the presence of the enemy in these cities and compel him to get out of the cities and go to places in which the enemy can be sniped.”
“My killing Muslims… is defending ourselves. The purpose of this is to defend the whole nation from the enemy.”
“the cross-worshippers themselves said it is a crusaders’ war and they came to Iraq killing and humiliating Muslims with the help of the Shi’a… these hateful Shiites (nice spray at other Muslims who dont subscribe to his particularyl warped understanding of the relgion) are trying, by any means showing their care about the Iraqi blood, to discredit the mujahideen to make the world see them as bloodsuckers.”

As we confirmed over at rr.com, all forms of extremism are bad. :(