SINCE news broke of the Sri Lanka terrorist attacks,
Mohamed Tawhidi, the Australia-based ‘Imam of Peace’, has been tweeting updates and I’ve been following him.
Why? Because he’s been telling the story of the attacks in a very different way to mainstream media outlets such as the BBC.
It feels like he’s been reporting what actually happened, straight and without covering up information.
If it turns out that he’s been wrong throughout, it will prove the danger of following ‘irresponsible’ social media accounts and I must learn to be much more careful. However, if it turns out that he’s been right throughout, it shows the utter unreliability of the ‘responsible’ mainstream media who won’t provide anything like the full, unfiltered story when attacks like this happen.
Here, in chronological order, is a selection of Imam Mohamed Tawhidi’s tweets:
· At least 138 people killed and hundreds hospitalized from injuries in near simultaneous blasts that rocked three churches and three luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, in the biggest violence in Sri Lanka since its civil war ended a decade ago.
· Imam Mohamad Tawhidi retweeted, CNN News 18: NewsAlert: ‘At least 2 blasts carried out by suicide bombers. Suicide bombers behind attack at Shangri La Hotel and Batticaloa Church. The suicide bombers has been identified as Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed”.
#NewsAlert – At least 2 blasts carried out by suicide bombers. Suicide bombers behind attact at Shangri La Hotel and Batticaloa Church. The suicide bombers has been identified as Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed. #SriLankaTerrorAttack | Details by @Zakka_Jacob pic.twitter.com/ZX8Vp2lCXT
— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 21, 2019
· New terrorist attacks are shaking Sri Lanka. This might require international interference. These terrorists seem to be well organised and we don’t know what else is going to happen. Perhaps they’re trying to divert security attention away from a main target. We don’t know.
· The lack of media interest in what’s happening in Sri Lanka is both disgusting and disgraceful.
· Imam Mohamad Tawhidi Retweeted, Tarrek Fatah: “Two Muslim Suicide Bombers identified in Sri Lanka attacks. Meet Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed aa death toll rises over 150.”
Two Muslim Suicide Bombers identified in #SriLankaAttacks. Meet Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed aa death toll rises over 150 https://t.co/4SGCbgL5C9
— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) April 21, 2019
· You know that you are not simply ‘Far-Left’, but an actual apologist for terrorists, when even CNN India names them as Islamic extremists and you are insisting on acting as a lawyer for suicide bomber.
You know that you are not simply ‘Far-Left’, but an actual apologist for terrorists, when even CNN India names them as Islamic Extremists and you are insisting on acting as a lawyer for suicide bombers. pic.twitter.com/RPASlZAWAi
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· Compare the level of outrage with what happened in Sri Lanka with Christchurch, NZ. Triple the amount of casualties and triple the amount of injured people. It offends me and other likeminded Muslims that we get special treatment and other equal humans don’t.
· Pakistani state-sponsored media is covering the tragedy in Sri Lanka by attacking President Trump over a typo in a deleted and corrected tweet. Let’s visit some Pakistani online forums to find them rejoicing over the attack just like they did when Notre Dame Cathedral was burning.
Pakistani state-sponsored media is covering the tragedy in Sri Lanka by attacking President Trump over a typo in a deleted and corrected tweet. Let’s visit some Pakistani online forums to find them rejoicing over the attack just like they did when #NotreDameCathedral was burning. pic.twitter.com/WgacuKMx05
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· Thank you Theresa May for showing concern over the buildings. I’m sure the hotel managers will appreciate this.
The acts of violence against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are truly appalling, and my deepest sympathies go out to all of those affected at this tragic time.
We must stand together to make sure that no one should ever have to practise their faith in fear.
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) April 21, 2019
· Islamist terrorists targeted the Christians of Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammad killed at least 140 people and injured more than 560 others; these numbers are rapidly rising. This act of terror must be condemned internationally, by all of us.
· Truly sad to see Sri Lanka’s defence minister calling this an “unfortunate terrorist incident”. It is not only an “unfortunate incident” but an attack on your country and nation, causing the biggest attack since the civil war (which ended 10 years ago).
Truly sad to see Sri Lanka’s defence minister calling this an “unfortunate terrorist incident”. It is not only an “unfortunate incident” but an attack on your country and nation, causing the biggest attack since the civil war (which ended 10 years ago). pic.twitter.com/1a1bUT5Zou
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· The attacks in Sri Lanka are continuing and the deaths are rising. Sri Lanka should ask India to send in the black cats
· JUST IN: Intelligence officials in Sri Lanka warned that terrorist elements, including the radical Islamic organization NTJ, would carry out a suicide attack in certain churches during Easter.
JUST IN: Intelligence officials in Sri Lanka warned that terrorist elements, including the radical Islamic organization NTJ, would carry out a suicide attack in certain churches during Easter.https://t.co/rM1J46h3er
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· Sri Lanka has seen a spike in Jihadi activity since 2017. The Parliament was told that 32 Muslims from elite families had joined ISIS.
Sri Lanka has seen a spike in Jihadi activity since 2017. The Parliament was told that 32 Muslims from elite families had joined ISIS. https://t.co/rwFc25chII
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· 7 terrorists arrested, 2 of the terrorists have been identified as Zahran Hashim and Abu Mohammed; BBC doesn’t mention their names. We don’t know yet if the 2 identified were suicide bombers, which makes them 9, or if they are 7 terrorists using planted bombs.
· Breaking: Local news channels are reporting that this is the image of Zahran Hashim, one of the terrorists responsible for the Sri Lanka attacks. Trust, but verify. It’s still too early to confirm, but do expect other moustache-less handsome faces to surface soon.
Breaking: Local news channels are reporting that this is the image of Zahran Hashim, one of the terrorists responsible for the #SriLankaAttacks.
Trust, but verify. It’s still too early to confirm, but do expect other moustache-less handsome faces to surface soon. pic.twitter.com/UtOrjGmr97
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· Thread on statements of one of the terrorists responsible for Sri Lanka attacks identified as Zahran Hashim: [“Islam doesn’t permit standing up for National flag. Hindus, Xtians, Budhdhas are Kafirs. Allah created this land for Muslims; Kafirs have the right to live, only Muslims have the right to rule. Loyalty of Muslims should only be for the Nation ruled by Muslims.”]
· If you are silent about Sri Lanka attacks, know that this is an Islamist war against Jesus. Pick a side. I am standing with Jesus.
· If you’re wondering why I’m not appearing on any media channels/radio to talk about recent events, that’s because I no longer give interviews to the media. I don’t have time for them. I’ll reach out to the journalists I trust (2-3) to get my message/perspective across. Thank You.
· We spend hours exposing extremists every day. This video & its background went unnoticed due to language barriers. If he was exposed & brought to the attention of the authorities, he could’ve been stopped. Sri Lanka terrorist: “Anyone who disagrees with Muslims should be killed”.
We spend hours exposing extremists every day. This video & its background went unnoticed due to language barriers. If he was exposed & brought to the attention of the authorities, he could’ve been stopped.#SriLanka terrorist: “Anyone who disagrees with Muslims should be killed” pic.twitter.com/CVyybRPd3Y
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· The terrorist behind one of the bombings in Sri Lanka was an Islamist Extremist Imam and preacher by the name of Moulvi Zahran Hashim (with many lectures online and YouTube – makes you wonder why YT never banned him for his terrorist ideology). Anyway, here’s part of the report.
The terrorist behind one of the bombings in Sri Lanka was an Islamist Extremist Imam and preacher by the name of Moulvi Zahran Hashim (with many lectures online and YouTube – makes you wonder why YT never banned him for his terrorist ideology). Anyway, here’s part of the report: pic.twitter.com/zOB2hdXuuh
— Imam Mohamad Tawhidi (@Imamofpeace) April 21, 2019
· Thank you to everyone retweeting what I share: articles, findings, research, news, videos and pictures exposing extremists. You are not doing me a favour. We are in this together, and we are fighting many battles to get the truth out (censorship/mass reporting/etc). Thank you.
This article first appeared in Is the BBC Biased? on April 22, 2019, and is republished by kind permission.