Al-Masakin: Azeri Press Agency (APA) could be fabricating news

 

By Edward Campbell

 

Missoula, Feb. 3 (Al-Masakin)—Al-Masakin News Agency has noted that the Azeri Press Agency (APA) has published a number of dubious uncooroborated news stories in the recent weeks since the flap over Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks reported in the Turkish Weekly Jan. 6: “Israel will be cursed for the children and the defenseless women who died under bombs,” including unsubstantiated reports that Hezbollah cell groups were planning attacks on Israeli institutions abroad had been foiled. 

 

In related news, the Turkish Weekly reported Feb. 3 that Haaretz fabricated a story that a synagogue in northwestern Turkey had been set ablaze on Sunday.  A statement by the Office of the Chief Rabbi, Rav Izak Haleva, said no such incident took place in the city and no synagogue had been torched by vandals as was claimed by an article in Haaretz written by Yoav Stern the Turkish Weekly reported on Tuesday. (link)

 

The APA claimed today that based on foreign reports it had learned that the Turkish Consulate General in Düsseldorf, Germany had been attacked by arsonists, although to the knowledge of Al-Masakin News Agency no other media has reported this incident.  That report remains uncorroborated.

 

“APA reports quoting foreign media that the façade of the building was damaged, but no casualties were reported. Düsseldorf police are investigating the incident.”

 

On Jan. 26 the APA claimed that there was a Hezbollah plot to bomb the Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan and that they had learned this from a Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Watan.  In yet another uncorroborated report the APA stated:

 

“Citing the well-informed Russian sources the newspaper reports that the plot was retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyah.”

 

That report remains uncorroborated and it appears to Al-Masakin that either the APA is grossly misinformed or is in fact fabricating news.

 

EHC/EHC

 

Al-Masakin News Agency

http://almasakinnewsagency.wordpress.com/