Remember Omran Daqneesh? He is the young Syrian boy from the photo below that’s been seen around the world in order to show the horrors of the Assad regime. Fox News is reporting that he and his family are now “under house arrest”:
Assad said to be holding Syrian boy in heart-breaking photo under house arrest https://t.co/UmDMbiSG1U via @holliesmckay #FOXNewsWorld
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 18, 2017
The “house arrest” claim was made by Mahmoud Raslan, a photographer and opposition activist. From Fox News:
Today, the Bashar Assad regime has his family under lock and key, according to photojournalist and opposition activist Mahmoud Raslan, who snapped that haunting portrait of Omran.
But not so fast. Journalist Jenan Moussa is calling into question Raslan’s account, reporting that the family is actually pro-regime and is turning down cash for interviews that might paint Assad in a bad light:
1/ Acc to FOX News: family of Omran (boy in ambulance) is under house arrest by Syria regime. I checked story, details dont add up. @akhbar https://t.co/wbDIXZk9Ct
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
2/ This thread isn't to confirm or deny that family Omran is under house arrest in regime area. I simply dont know. But I can say following.
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
3/ After FOX story yesterday, I started digging. Turns out father of Omran is pro-regime, family not pro-opposition, as implied by many.
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
4/ Even when family of Omran lived in opposition areas Aleppo, they were pro-Assad. Four opposition activists told me that. @akhbar
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
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5/ So it then started to make sense to me: Because I remember when I tried to interview father after Omran got injured, he flatly refused.
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
6/ This part of FOX story is misleading. Family of Omran never wanted to speak to any media since beginning. @akhbar pic.twitter.com/9KQC64DNeE
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
7/ Omran's dad not only refused to give me interview but also others. I know a perosn who offered him $5000 for interview but dad refused.
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
8/ During fall of Aleppo Omran's family stayed in city, which fell then under control of regime. Outside world lost touch with them. @akhbar
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
9/ Since family was pro-regime, I'm highly skeptical about this Fox story. Story shows no evidence that they are under house arrest. @akhbar
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) April 18, 2017
Sheesh. What happened to Omran is heartbreaking, but would there have been such an outpouring of support had it been known originally that his family is pro-Assad? And it’s awful that Raslan is spinning the story to pump up his own photograph.
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