David Cole’s adventures continue:
Tabesh’s “hate arson” received international attention. But even though the hoax wasn’t exposed until September, I had my suspicions the very day I read the Times story. On July 30, 2002, I emailed Julie Cart and L.A. Times ombudswoman Jamie Gold with my concerns about the story’s accuracy. Gold admitted (in writing, no less) that parts of the story were “not completely accurate,” but nevertheless “not worthy of a correction.” And Cart? She admitted to me that she invented the claim that “harassment of Muslims appears to be on the rise” (a more detailed examination of the Times’ deception can be found here). After the revelation that Ali bin Arson torched his own motel, the Times ran a minor correction, but to this day the story remains uncorrected on the Times website.
