The Washington Post was mocked Sunday after posting an obituary for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi with a glowing headline describing the terrorist — known for unimaginable violence, including systematic rape and murder — as an "austere religious scholar."
When the Post first published its story, the newspaper described al-Baghdadi as the "Islamic State's terrorist-in-Chief." However, for unknown reasons, the Post later changed the headline to describe al-Baghdadi as an "austere religious scholar," giving special emphasis to his academic career.
They had it right the first time. The Washington Post changed the headline on its Al-Baghdadi obituary from “Isla… https://t.co/GokmhyfKvw— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@Yashar Ali 🐘)1572189179.0
"The man who would become the founding leader of the world's most brutal terrorist group spent his early adult years as an obscure academic, aiming for a quiet life as a professor of Islamic law," the Post wrote.
"And yet, despite the group's extremist views and vicious tactics, Mr. Baghdadi maintained a canny pragmatism as leader," the Post also said of al-Baghdadi.
The newspaper, however, conceded that al-Baghdadi oversaw the "shocking brutality" of ISIS.
What was the reaction?
The Post was widely mocked Sunday after the headline change circulated on social media.
Adolf Hitler, passionate community planner and dynamic public speaker, dies at 56. #WaPoDeathNotices— Jason Howerton (@Jason Howerton)1572191219.0
Theodore Bundy, Republican Activist, law student, and known “lady killer” found dead in Florida. #WashingtonPostObits— Mickey White (@Mickey White)1572190142.0
John Wilkes Booth, famed actor, patriot dead at 26. #WashingtonPostObits— Dan Gainor (@Dan Gainor)1572190745.0
"Austere religious leader dies in darkness"— jon gabriel (@jon gabriel)1572190160.0
#WaPoDeathNotices Genghis Khan, accomplished horseman and indefatigable traveler, breathes his last.— Walter Russell Mead (@Walter Russell Mead)1572190079.0
Mao Zedong, who saved 20-45 million of his own people from having to suffer through the struggle of existence, dies at 82. #WaPoDeathNotices pic.twitter.com/4wwJqQqXp3
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) October 27, 2019
#WaPoDeathNotices Joseph Stalin, former seminarian and noted agrarian reformer, dead at 74.— Stephen F. Knott (@Stephen F. Knott)1572192194.0
from now on to the end of time, whenever the Washington Post analyzes Trumps words, please remind them that they on… https://t.co/s8Ywk3kOn9— GregGutfeld (@GregGutfeld)1572192544.0
According to the Washington Post, President Trump is a Nazi, while the leader of ISIS was an “austere religious sch… https://t.co/eb1kGybGuL— Michael Knowles (@Michael Knowles)1572193347.0
After the backlash, Post editors gave the story its third headline iteration, "Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, extremist leader of Islamic State, dies at 48."
However, the story's opening paragraph still described al-Baghdadi as "an austere religious scholar with wire-frame glasses and no known aptitude for fighting and killing."