ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings aired the tape I mentioned earlier today.
The tape was not authenticated, according to this story by Investigative Reporter Brian Ross (who previously earned my kudos for delaying the story in order to seek authentication):
Alleged American Al Qaeda Warns of U.S. Attacks Azzam the American: 'Streets of America Will Run Red With Blood'
While CIA officials say they have not been able to authenticate the 75-minute tape, an agency spokesman says it "appears to have been produced by al Qaeda's media organization, al Sahab productions." The tape is marked with the same logo and graphics seen on previous videos released by al Qaeda.
Now Instapundit blogs that they received this tip:
"A CIA spokesperson whom I spoke to mere moments ago was very adamant in saying the ABC terror tape has ``not, not, not, not, not, not, not, not yet been authenticated.'' Thought you might like to know because, thanks to Drudge, a lot of people are getting this wrong."
Thanks to Running Scared, who posted that link and some very interesting commentary before ABC's broadcast. Here's what some other articulate bloggers said before the tape was aired:
Atrios, as previously noted
Captain's Quarters
Roger L. Simon
...and after ABC aired the tape:
California Yankee
The Centrist Coalition
Earlier in the day, Mr. Ross told The Washington Post, ""It's either a well-done hoax or a tremendous news story. We're not going to get stampeded." The Post's Howard Kurtz also reported that Ross and his team believed "that a Bush administration official leaked the story to Internet gossip Matt Drudge as a way of pressuring the network into airing the tape, which would heighten concerns about terrorism in the final week of the president's reelection campaign."
What do you think? Did ABC do the right thing by broadcasting this tape tonight? Does it matter that it's five days before the election?
Actually, don't tell me, tell ABC's World News Tonight.
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