Northwest Flight 253

The Bogus Flight 253 'One-Way Ticket' Meme: Anatomy Of A Myth

Justin Elliott | January 11, 2010, 8:36AM

Umar Abdulmutallab (Fmr. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, President Obama, and columnist Michael Gerson inset)

In a remarkable example of how bad information can travel far and wide, dozens of media outlets around the world have said Umar Abdulmutallab was traveling on a one-way ticket to Detroit when he allegedly tried to blow up Flight 253, even though that has never been substantiated and appears to be flat wrong.

Abdulmutallab's "one-way ticket" has been cited in recent days by the AP, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, even though the Nigerian government said Dec. 28 that Abdulmutallab had a round-trip ticket, and provided details to back it up.

The "one-way ticket" meme was originally sourced to anonymous U.S. officials and has since been recited as an undisputed fact.

Read more »

Michael Gerson

WaPo Columnist Should Have Checked Out The Guestbook At Nazi Propaganda Exhibit

Justin Elliott | September 28, 2009, 2:19PM

From Holocaust Museum guest book 9/13/09

Michael Gerson started his Friday Post column, "Banish the Cyber-Bigots," this way:

Read more »