The Associated Press has reportedly fired the journalist of a retracted story which claimed that Russia last week had fired missiles that hit NATO member Poland, which led to speculation of a possible World War III scenario.
The AP reporter, James LaPorta, had written that an unnamed “senior U.S. intelligence official” indicated that “Russian missiles crossed into NATO member Poland, killing two people.”
Breitbart's Paul Bois noted that the AP story "set off a firestorm of concern across social media as people wondered if this would be a Franz Ferdinand-type of event that would plunge the Western world into full-scale war with a nuclear power."
One day after LaPorta's report was published, the Associated Press took down the story and issued an editor’s note saying that the unnamed “senior U.S. intelligence official” relayed incorrect information.
“Subsequent reporting showed that the missiles were Russian-made and most likely fired by Ukraine in defense against a Russian attack,” the editor’s note said.
The Associated Press issued no comment in response to the firing and issued only the following statement:
“The rigorous editorial standards and practices of The Associated Press are critical to AP’s mission as an independent news organization. To ensure our reporting is accurate, fair and fact-based, we abide by and enforce these standards, including around the use of anonymous sources.”
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