The Washington Post today faced severe backlash for its headline of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi obituary that reads ”Austere religious scholar at helm of Islamic State dies at 48”. The prominent newspaper in the US faced stringent criticism for the headline following which the description of ISIS founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was changed from “Terrorist in Chief” to “Austere Religious Scholar” to “Extremist Leader”
The publication also praised the terrorist leader with its references that “austere religious scholar w/ wire-frame glasses”, “Mr. Baghdadi maintained a canny pragmatism” “Acquaintances would remember him as a shy, nearsighted youth who liked soccer but preferred to spend his free time at the local mosque”
Though the publication changed the headline of its Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi obituary more than once, but one of the iterations is facing criticism as it referred to the leader of the Islamic State group as an “austere religious scholar.” A representative for The Washington Post addressed the issue, but not before readers responded to the contentious headline.
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