FACT CHECK: Did The Atlantic Publish An Article on 9/11 ‘Bigotry’?

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

An image shared on Facebook purports The Atlantic allegedly published an article that highlights “soft bigotry” surrounding the phrase, “Bush did 9/11.”

Verdict: False

The image is digitally fabricated. The outlet did not publish such an article.

Fact Check:

Military prosecutors and defense attorneys are allegedly negotiating plea deals for five Guantanamo Bay detainees that could remove potential death penalty sentences, CBS News reported. Among the five is Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who claims he is the “architect” of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, according to the outlet.

Now, a Facebook image purports The Atlantic published an article titled “The Soft Bigotry of ‘Bush Did 9/11.'” The subheading highlights the “soft bigotry” around the attacks and a “lack of respect” for Muslim immigrants, including a photo of 12 men that were involved in the hijackings of the planes that day.

“Every year, I start to believe that I’ve seen every idiotic take possible on 9/11, and every year, somebody makes a fool of me,” the post’s caption reads. (RELATED: No, This Video Does Not Prove There Were No Planes Used In The 9/11 Attacks?)

The claim is baseless. A search of The Atlantic’s website and its verified social media accounts does not generate any such article.

A reverse image search produces a variety of articles featuring the photo of the 12 hijackers, including one from North Jersey.com that describes how the terrorists “lived in plain sight” prior to the attacks. The photo’s caption indicates that all 12 hijackers lived in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Another article from the Palm Beach Post uses the same image, highlighting hijacker Mohamed Atta had allegedly been stopped for speeding by a police officer in Delray Beach, Florida weeks before the 9/11 attacks.

Check Your Fact has contacted a spokesperson at The Atlantic for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

Trending