The existence is only the first issue to be addressed. The remaining issues go to the veracity of Hussein's claims. And on that count, even the AP has been forced to correct its story on numerous occasions, though they're loathe to actually publicize that fact. They've revised the story by writing out the inconvenient claims that were not verified by anyone else, including claims about the numbers of mosques hit, numbers of bodies, where the bodies were taken, and who supposedly saw them. All the revisions were done without the use of an actual correction, which would be appropriate when you're talking about the inaccuracy of significant and major facts in ongoing reporting.
Hussein was the initial source on the story claiming that four Baghdad mosques were torched and that six people were immolated. Neither aspect of that claim has ever been verified by anyone other than Jamil Hussein. It was that curiousity that led Curt at Flopping Aces to begin questioning Hussein's information that formed the basis for more than 60 other AP stories out of Iraq. Instead of addressing the veracity of the stories, the AP chose to stonewall and refused to produce Hussein and verify the stories' accuracy.
The accuracy of those stories remains in doubt. AP and other news outlets have done a subpar job of tracking down the stories so the questions remain although the New York Times was unable to verify the story (if they bother to read their own reporting on the incident) when the incident was initially reported.
USS Neverdock also comments.
Dafydd ab Hugh, sitting in for Michelle Malkin takes Eric Boehlert to task for once again conflating the issues of existence for veracity of claims. Confederate Yankee and others provide the example of the Duke rape case to make the point. The accuser exists, but the accuser's claims have not been verified by anyone or the evidence presented. A similar situation exists with Jamil Hussein. He may exist, but none of the stories have been verified by anyone other than Jamil Hussein and the AP. Existence of the source is not proof that the events occurred.
UPDATE:
Curt at Flopping Aces has an update that throws AP's narrative into question once again:
I've been in touch with Bill Costlow (the CPATT (Civilian Police Assistance Training Team) representative) since he has been back in-country and I have a few interesting developments on this story.Even if we set aside this issue, the veracity of the more than 60 articles using Hussein as a source remains to be discovered. Thus far, no one has come forward to prove that the incidents happened as the AP reported.
First, the AP story:Ministry spokesman Brig. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, who had previously denied there was any such police employee as Capt. Jamil Hussein, said in an interview that Hussein is an officer assigned to the Khadra police station, as had been reported by The Associated Press.But guess what Bill just confirmed? Brig. Abdul-Karim Khalaf never acknowledged that there was a Capt. Jamil Hussein assigned to the Khadra station, he confirmed to the AP that there was a Capt. Jamil Ghdaab Gulaim assigned there. Apparently he is the source for the AP even though he still, to this day (according to Bill Costlow), denies being the source.
So what do we have so far?
That the AP has lied again in their response. The AP specifically stated that Brig. Abdul-Karim Khalaf acknowledged Jamil Hussein exists when he did no such thing. He acknowledged a completely different name the AP gave him but not a Jamil Hussein.
Still, if there is a Jamil Hussein, it might be nice if someone other than AP actually reported his existence and talked to him to get his side of the story.
Meanwhile, the Anchoress is still being characterized as a war blogger by Boehlert despite all evidence to the contrary.
Technorati: fauxtography, jamil hussein, fauxtography, journalism.
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