Late Saturday night Pres Trump tweeted “Something very big has just happened!”…
Something very big has just happened!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2019
Twitterverse was lit with speculation from silly to serious including this tweet from WaPo columnist Josh Rogin
This seems to relate to the raid in northern Idlib, Syria where U.S. led coalition forces were pursuing a high value terrorist target. No confirmation yet, some chatter it could be Baghdadi. https://t.co/I8aCl3oG5W— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) October 27, 2019
…followed with this from Ryan Fournier
BREAKING: The United States has captured Al-Baghdadi,The head of ISIS.
This is a huge defeat for ISIS!
Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump!
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) October 27, 2019
That turned out not to be true, so it’s an example WHY we must hold off reporting on big events like this until it is confirmed.
Annahar News tweeted out (via Google translate)
“United States: Raid targeted ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and led to his death”
Video reportedly showing the raid in Northern Idlib, Syria. pic.twitter.com/I5meR7ex4E— ALX 🇺🇸 🎃 (@alx) October 27, 2019
Newsweek issued story Trump Approves Special Ops Raid Targeting ISIS Leader Baghdadi and Military Says He’s Dead where they stated “the Defense Department told the White House they have ‘high confidence’ that the high-value target killed was Baghdadi, but further verification is pending.” Key word there PENDING, but that didn’t stop countless people (who get upset when unverified info is shoveled out) to report the head of ISIS was dead!
It is now confirmed, through biometric testing, the head of ISIS is dead after detonating a suicide vest as US Special Forces moved in during a 2 hour raid in Idlib, Syria!!
Jennifer Griffin reports:
“ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi dead, killed in US raid in Idlib, according to senior US military source. Baghdadi’s identity has been confirmed. “We long suspected Baghdadi was hiding in Idlib,” US source said.
I am told 50-70 American military service members involved in the raid- pulled from US Army Delta Force and Rangers. About 6 helicopters involved in raid. “It was a partnered mission,” US official source tells me. Baghdadi was killed when he detonated suicide vest.
Biometrics (facial recognition) immediately identified Baghdadi- in suicide bombing head removed intact. DNA also used – typically takes a day for DNA results. US forces launched from Erbil, Iraq. There had been reports of sightings of Baghdadi in Idlib for some time,US official.”
To all the Never Trumpers and doubters about Pres Trump’s foreign policy and handling of the middle east…
Baghdadi was “screaming, crying, whimpering”. “We knew he had a tunnel,” President Trump says. “Think of James Foley. Think of Kayla Mueller, the things they did to her.” “Orange suits… beheadings… he died a coward,” President Trump says of Baghdadi’s death during US raid.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 27, 2019