Veteran CNN reporter Clarissa Ward confirmed the Syrian "prisoner" in her now-infamous video report is notorious intelligence officer Salama Mohammed Salama.
The prisoner's true identity was first revealed in an investigation by Verify-Sy, which interviewed Syrian locals to learn Salama was a former first lieutenant in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence.
While stationed at a checkpoint in Al-Bayyada, Salama became known for abusing, torturing, and extorting Syrians, the report stated.
"We can confirm the real identity of the man from our story last Wednesday as Salama Mohammed Salama," Ward wrote in an X post shared on Tuesday.
We can confirm the real identity of the man from our story last Wednesday as Salama Mohammed Salamahttps://t.co/wb77EEMbnT
— Clarissa Ward (@clarissaward) December 16, 2024
"It's unclear how or why Salama ended up in the Damascus jail, and CNN has not been able to reestablish contact with him," CNN reported.
Ward did not offer an apology or explanation as to how Salama's true identity fell through the cracks before the report was released.
Social media users slammed Ward, who has more than 20 years of journalism experience, for not fact-checking his identity.
"No retraction, no apologies. The style of journalism that reporters like Clarissa Ward engage in is more about promoting themselves, their brand, & emotional narratives they believe will bolster their ratings, rather than reporting accurately & conscientiously," X user @tksshawa shared.
No retraction, no apologies. The style of journalism that reporters like Clarissa Ward engage in is more about promoting themselves, their brand, & emotional narratives they believe will bolster their ratings, rather than reporting accurately & conscientiously. https://t.co/ak4wqFAcV2
— Tariq Kenney-Shawa (@tksshawa) December 16, 2024
"No retraction, no accountability, no apology. Nothing. And the use of 'we' here is egregious- you didn't confirm anything @clarissaward, you were exposed for the fraud that you are by a team of Syrian investigative journalists who actually do journalism, unlike you," X user @fatimazsaid noted.
Verify-Sy touts itself "as the first Syrian fact-checking platform, armed with the best expertise and the highest standards to the Arab and international viewers" that is also combatting misinformation "and its harmful effects on the individual and society."
No retraction, no accountability, no apology. Nothing.
— Fatima (@fatimazsaid) December 16, 2024
And the use of “we” here is egregious- you didn’t confirm anything @clarissaward, you were exposed for the fraud that you are by a team of Syrian investigative journalists who actually do journalism, unlike you. https://t.co/tJ2DCNdYbA
"You are a proven liar and crisis actor who has laundered the deaths of innocent people. It's not just remarkable you still have a job, it's remarkable you don't have any charges against you," @AdameMedia wrote. "Here's you pretending to be under attack to help Israel propagandise ethnic cIeansing," he added, accompanied by a screenshot of Ward pretending to be attacked by Hamas at the Israel-Palestine border in October 2023.
You are proven liar and crisis actor who has laundered the deaths of innocent people.
— ADAM (@AdameMedia) December 17, 2024
It’s not just remarkable you still have a job, it’s remarkable you don’t have any charges against you.
Here’s you pretending to be under attack to help Israel propagandise ethnic cIeansing… pic.twitter.com/BCmqOYAUXB
"For her next project, I hear she's auditioning for 2-3 Korean actors who can play dead N. Korean soldiers," an X user wrote in response.
For her next project, I hear she's auditioning for 2-3 Korean actors who can play dead N. Korean soldiers.
— Sacco (@Sacco07976002) December 17, 2024
"Is [sic] this were a single incident, I'd be more forgiving and believe it were an accident. But @clarissaward and her CNN colleagues have promoted numerous deceptions in Syria, the region, and all over the world, from sniffing a 'sarin' backpack to the 40 beheaded babies hoax to the viagra-fueled mass rape lie in Libya, to name a few," another X user wrote.
Is this were a single incident, I'd be more forgiving and believe it were an accident. But @clarissaward and her CNN colleagues have promoted numerous deceptions in Syria, the region, and all over the world, from sniffing a "sarin" backpack to the 40 beheaded babies hoax to the… https://t.co/HmTZTsaoLr pic.twitter.com/h4HpBGWgJ1
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) December 16, 2024
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