Language:

See all Disinfo Cases - Detail

Disinfo: White Helmets are part of Al-Qaeda for sure

Summary

What does James Le Mesurier’s history have to do with the humanitarian work that is supposed to be the work of the “White Helmets”? Everyone knows that they are part of Al-Qaeda for sure. These people, along with bin Laden’s death, with Baghdadi’s recent killing, all these people are killed because they, first of all, hold important secrets, they have become a burden and their role is over.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory; no evidence given. This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the White Helmets, a humanitarian organisation of volunteer rescue workers also known as the Syria Civil Defense, and their recently deceased founder James Le Mesurier. The White Helmets have documented some of the worst atrocities carried out by the Syrian government and the Russian military, and as a result, Russian and Syrian media have consistently sought to delegitimise them through portrayals as a Western-backed “terrorist organisation".

No evidence is given to substantiate the claim that Le Mesurier has connections to Al Quaeda and/or other terrorist groups. This case, as well as the insinuation that the White Helmets were involved in producing fake evidence of chemical weapons attacks in Syria, are a continuation of smear campaigns against civilian rescuers in Syria that have been circulating in pro-Kremlin media for years.

For further disinformation cases about the White Helmets, see here. For cases about the war in Syria, see here.

Go to search

publication/media

Sputnik Arabic (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 174
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14/11/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Arabic
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Syria, US, Russia
  • Keywords: White Helmets, Maria Zakharova, Al-Qaeda, Bashar al-Assad, Conspiracy theory, Syrian War
see more

Crimea became Russian after its residents voted for reunification with Russia

Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014, where most residents spoke out in favour of reunification with Russia.

Nov 13, 2019
Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea. No international body has recognised the so-called referendum, announced on 27 February 2014, and held on 16 March 2014, which was organised by self-proclaimed Crimean leadership lacking democratic legitimacy and installed by armed Russian military personnel following the seizure of public buildings. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has stated that “the situation within the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol amounts to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. This international armed conflict began at the latest on 26 February 2014 when the Russian Federation deployed members of its armed forces to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian Government." On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17 December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea. The EU's policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol includes a set of restrictive measures against entities and individuals responsible for actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity. In March 2019, on the fifth anniversary of Crimea's annexation, the EU reiterated its position of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

Will Bolsonaro Be Spared From The 'South American Spring'?

The US let the genie out of the bottle through its long-running Hybrid War on Venezuela, and although it’s solidifying its newly established control over Bolivia right now, it lost control of the protest dynamics in Peru, Ecuador, and Chile, and its man in Argentina just lost reelection. It’s difficult to imagine why Brazil would be immune to this trend considering that it’s already so sharply divided and even the slightest spark might set into motion very similar events as elsewhere in the region, which is why Bolsonaro must be anxiously sweating right now praying that he won’t become the most prominent example of the US’ Hybrid War blowback in the hemisphere.

Nov 13, 2019
Disproof

Conspiracy theory. No evidence is provided to support the claim. This is part of a recurrent disinformation narrative about US-led regime change operations against left wing governments in Latin America. You can see other examples of this, such as the alleged presence of a US marine in the Venezuelan barricades and the promotion of a Ukraine-style 'colour revolution', the training of Venezuelan exiles in Guyana for military operations inside the country, preparations for a military intervention after forcing Brazil to join NATO, deliberate blackouts in South America caused by the US, or the existence of plans for the secession of oil-rich regions in both Venezuela and Mexico. Also falls within the broader pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative attempting to deny the existence of genuine grass-root protests, portraying them as foreign-led efforts and fake colour revolutions.

US controls Latin American countries by organising coups

The US controls “disobedient countries” in Latin America by organising coups, bribing corrupt politicians and financing pro-American-leaning opposition groups. The Bolivian Revolution is very similar in character to the Ukrainian “Orange Revolution” and “Euromaidan” and it is clear that the US is behind it as the main creator of colour revolutions.

Nov 13, 2019
Disproof

Conspiracy theory. No evidence is provided to support the claim. This is part of a disinformation narrative about US-led regime change operations against left-wing governments in Latin America. You can see other examples of this narrative in the EUvsdisinfo database, such as the alleged presence of a US marine in the Venezuelan barricades and the promotion of a Ukraine-style 'colour revolution', the training of Venezuelan exiles in Guyana for military operations inside the country, preparations for a military intervention after forcing Brazil to join NATO, deliberate blackouts in South America caused by the US, or the existence of plans for the secession of oil-rich regions in both Venezuela and Mexico. This narrative also falls within the broader pro-Kremlin disinformation efforts attempting to deny the existence of genuine grass-root protests, portraying them as foreign-led efforts and fake colour revolutions. Read the statement from the EU's High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini on the situation in Bolivia here.