The Times Square Bomber: What we thought we knew

Posted By Joshua Keating Thursday, May 6, 2010 - 11:12 AM Share

As the story of the failed Times Square bombing has unfolded, a number of theories and even purported facts have fallen by the wayside:

These are just off the top of my head. Readers are invited to add any others that I missed.

Moral of the story: more reporting in the wake of an event like this doesn't necessarily mean more reliable information. Take it all with a grain of salt.  

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

 
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THAGGIN

12:28 PM ET

May 6, 2010

Fail

This really demonstrates the failure of US media outlets to understand their role in our society. Maybe if they were more responsible, and reported accurate, vetted information, more people would actually trust and, in turn, care about what goes on in the news. Then maybe we'd have a more informed general public and a better society. The US media is one of the reasons we have such an apathetic general population, which is unfortunate.

 

SETH OLDMIXON

3:54 PM ET

May 6, 2010

In the media's defense

@THAGGIN As if your 'apathetic' American public were particularly patient. What do you think the response would be if news anchors went on the air and said, "We have received reports that there was a bomb attempt in Times Square. We will give you more information in a few weeks, once we've all had a chance to vet everything and ensure that it is accurate and mistake free." I'm sure that would go over swimmingly.

 

BLUE13326

4:33 PM ET

May 6, 2010

He was upset about the

He was upset about the healthcare bill. Or maybe he was just another crazy Muslim jihadist.

 

RESTRAINEDRADICAL

5:28 PM ET

May 6, 2010

Authorities waited until the last minute

Or maybe they lost him until the last minute (http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/10992).

The bomb was amateurish, or it was the best that could be made with the materials available to him.

 

KENNETH SORENSEN

7:42 AM ET

May 7, 2010

He could be a paid agent working for the Israelis or friends

In this context , it is crucial that nothing happened - cause they would't want to harm their own home turf, would they?

strong>What about that?
strong> What to you say to this?
strong> Always when something like that happens, ask yourself who stand to benefit.?

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The guy could simply have been bought by the Israelis and/or their network, cause it is in their strategic interest that the world deals with what they perceive as 'extremist Islamists'. A handsome sum has then been paid to him (since he presumably will be imprisoned for life, he have given this money to friends or relatives, so watch in the coming years if the relatives suddenly gets better off.
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PFNOVAK

3:00 PM ET

May 7, 2010

The point

This article was taking the American media to task for reporting unsubstantiated information that was later contradicted. And you comment on the article with unsubstantiated claims of your own? How does that make any sense?

 

LAL QILA

9:06 AM ET

May 7, 2010

American journalists and their silly ignorant ways

American journalists and their silly ignorant ways have been known around the world for a long time and will continue on, it seems, forever.

Lack of clarity, needless towing of the Jewish/Israeli or moneyed Wall Street line, basic ignorance of recent history or even the present, basic ignorance of the shared cultures and religions of India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Libya etc. and even the basic laziness and the inability of Americans even to pronounce the names of countries or people involved are all part of the problem.

Perhaps, the best way to cover such stories is to bring local journalists, with good command of English language and replete with local knowledge to the fore. Certainly, Americans, as we know them, can't know it all; they are know-nothings.

 

COMMANDER

10:16 AM ET

May 7, 2010

Don't think you can legitimately call Americans "know-nothings"

I can’t say I completely disagree with your comments about the press/media but in all fairness neither you nor many other non-Americans pronounce our language correctly nor do you always use proper grammar - as witnessed in your comment. And as many Americans would argue the media doesn’t always toe the line with factions, groups or special interests that they would like. In any discussion, debate or argument someone’s ox is gored – your individual perspective on fairness or correctness is often determined by whether it’s your ox or someone else’s. I would like to see the media present more from both sides of the perspective, but they are at least free to present whatever view they choose unlike many of the countries you list in your commentary. Americans don’t know it all, but I don’t think you can call them 'know-nothings' simply because you don’t agree. Many times they do use or solicit input from “local” sources to provide the shared vision you suggest – it just may not always be what you want to hear……

 

LAL QILA

1:40 PM ET

May 7, 2010

Its not just the American journalists are total fools

Its not just the American journalists are total fools, in fact this ailment continues in the upper echelons of American society through and through.

I have sat with US generals, ambassadors, presidents and VPs of various companies and save an ex US ambassador or two, I have found everybody to be completely ignorant about the facts. Even when they can recite "facts" by memorisation; they have no understanding of the issues at hand.

One can spend a life time educating the Americans but it won’t be enough.

 

ASHOK2718

6:21 PM ET

May 7, 2010

Once again gross generalisation

Americans are ignorant when you need them in your sentences to be otherwise they know full well what is happening and thus they should repent for their crimes to Allah and convert to Islam. That is the only way it seems that can make themselves knowledgeable in your eyes.

To Heck with you. Give me name of one Muslim who has won noble prize in science or has done some groundbreaking research. I haven't looked it up. But I can guarantee you that you won't be able to find any either (unless you start harping about Muslims in Spain and Arabia during initial period of Islam which would only show your regressive and backward looking attitude). Americans are professionals and mind their own business rather then gathering info on silly stuff to which you point. Why should the scientists, teachers, lawyers, doctors of USA know about your family feud ? I wish i were more like them rather then being here and posting replies to your silly generalizations and thus making a stupid out of myself

 

MITCH GUTHMAN

1:44 PM ET

May 7, 2010

Trained?

We seem to be using the word "trained" rather loosely. The only publicly available information seems to suggest that this consists mainly of running with a rifle at port arms position and swinging on monkey bars.

I seen no indications (in the media) that any of these groups provide meaningfully instruction in areas like bomb-making (such as would be found in The Anarchist Cookbook) or counter-surveillance or methods of secret communication, to name but a few areas which might would have assumed would be the focus of instruction in these "training camps".

It seems abundantly clear that this guy received pretty minimal, even counterproductive "training" at best.

 

JANYROBERT23

6:01 AM ET

May 8, 2010

fight

When this fight will stop.
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