DISINFO: Al Baghdadi was an American product
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: sptnkne.ws (archived)*
  • Date of publication: November 01, 2019
  • Outlet language(s): Arabic
  • Reported in: Issue 174
  • Countries / regions discussed: Iraq, Syria, US
Tags:
Terrorism financing Islamic extremism Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Conspiracy theory Terrorism Daesh

DISINFO: Al Baghdadi was an American product

SUMMARY

Al-Baghdadi was [if he is really dead] an American product. IS was established after the illegal invasion of Iraq, the collapse of the Iraqi state, and the release of extremists who were detained by the US. Therefore, the Americans have destroyed the person they have produced, if it is true that they killed him.

RESPONSE

This is a conspiracy theory perpetuating a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that the US or NATO has created and is supporting global terrorism, and that Al Baghdadi might have not been really killed. Pro-Kremlin media have not produced any evidence to support either claim. In reality, the US is committed to fighting terrorist organisations, such as Daesh and Al-Qaeda.

This is part of an emerging pro-Kremlin disinformation strategy to raise doubts about the death of Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi. Details of the operation to eliminate Al Baghdadi have been confirmed by the Pentagon, the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Global Coalition against Daesh, and Iraqi intelligence. Even Daesh/ISIS have acknowledged Al Baghdadi's death. Parts of the footage filmed by US troops involved in the operation were recently released by the Pentagon.

Other examples of this narrative are claims that instead of being killed he was evacuated by US forces, that he was indeed a US product, or that he was acting in Iraq under US protection. These additional claims are also completely unsubstantiated by factual evidence and follow a familiar pattern of pro-Kremlin disinformation about US or NATO support for international terrorism.

For similar cases about US or Western support for terrorism, see here.

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Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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