‘Senior Politics Writer’ Asks, ‘Is It Really Necessary to Immediately Mention’ Disneyland Paris Suspect’s Koran?

Elite Daily senior politics writer John Haltiwanger sent out a tweet Thursday asking if it was "necessary" to point out that the man arrested for carrying two handguns at a Disneyland Paris hotel was also carrying a Koran.

There is no known evidence to suggest the man police arrested, or the woman who police say was traveling with him, had terrorist motives. The incident happened at the New York Hotel, which is part of the Disneyland Paris complex located just east of the French capital.

"Is it really necessary to immediately mention he had a Quran? Would they mention if he had a Bible?" Haltiwanger wrote in a tweet, along with a link to the New York Times' story on the incident.

Is it really necessary to immediately mention he had a Quran? Would they mention if he had a Bible? #DisneylandParis pic.twitter.com/VLuscrsjql

— John Haltiwanger (@jchaltiwanger) January 28, 2016

"The man's motives are currently unclear. Mentioning Quran immediately implies Islamic extremism when we don't have facts. #DisneylandParis," Haltiwanger later tweeted, as the news was still developing. He added that the Koran is not a "terrorist manual."

The man's motives are currently unclear. Mentioning Quran immediately implies Islamic extremism when we don't have facts. #DisneylandParis

— John Haltiwanger (@jchaltiwanger) January 28, 2016

The Koran is not a terrorist manual. https://t.co/CIU2BCA56n #DisneylandParis #GOPDebate

— John Haltiwanger (@jchaltiwanger)

January 29, 2016

The senior politics writer was called out for his statement, however, by users pointing out the context in which the story was unfolding.

Well, given the fact that Islamic terrorism is actually a thing, it's relevant. @jchaltiwanger

— Beef Supreme (@TorchOWyatt) January 28, 2016

.@jchaltiwanger if people with Bibles had claimed Paris, London, Madrid, Brussels, Copenhagen, Toulouse, Thalys, San Bernadino attacks, yes

— FR (@A2Z1984) January 29, 2016

Others responded to Haltiwanger asking if the New York Times would have mentioned if the suspect had a Bible.

@jchaltiwanger Of course they would. It's the NYT. They would be falling all over themselves to mention it.

— Sierra0559 (@Sierra0559) January 28, 2016

@jchaltiwanger they absolutely would have, and if you think differently... well you're lying to yourself.

— Trevor Dewey (@CP4070) January 28, 2016

@jchaltiwanger Uh...Yeah! They would lede with the Bible info! And you know it...@MichelleFields

— Sean Ryan (@Sean34953Ryan) January 28, 2016

Haltiwanger acknowledged in an Elite Daily piece that the man's claim that he was carrying a gun only for his own "safety" was "dubious."

"Should the man have brought guns to Disneyland Paris? Absolutely not. Particularly given France remains on high alert following the heartbreaking terror attacks in Paris back in November," Haltiwanger added.

(H/T: Twitchy)