Omar al-Baghdadi

The Bogus Mr. Baghdadi: ABC Cites Fake al-Qaeda-in-Iraq Character

By Mark Finkelstein | September 17, 2007 - 15:29

Two months after the U.S. military declared him as bogus as a three-dinar bill, ABC News continues to identify one "Abu Omar al-Baghdadi" as head of al Qaeda in Iraq [AQI].

Here's the background: a major goal of al Qaeda is to convince Iraqis [as well, presumably, as gullible members of the U.S. congress] that AQI is a home-grown organization with only the most tenuous links to al Qaeda. At a press briefing of July 18th, 2007, Brigadier General Kevin Bergner stated the following: