NEW YORK - HarperCollins Publishers Inc. Tuesday retracted allegations made in its book "The Terror Timeline" that accused a Saudi billionaire of helping fund al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, saying it now has no evidence of any such connection. The allegations were made against businessman Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi, one of the world's richest men, in the book "The Terror Timeline" written by Paul Thompson and published by HarperCollins's ReganBooks imprint last September. They "were based on previously published reports that were subsequently retracted," the publisher said in a statement.
HarperCollins, owned by the Rupert Murdoch-controlled News Corp., declined to answer questions about its retraction. Neither the author or representatives for Al Amoudi were available for comment. The book had been released despite the fact that publishers elsewhere who had made similar allegations against Al Amoudi had retracted them after being sued.
"HarperCollins is aware of no evidence to suggest that Mr. Al Amoudi has ever supported, advocated, or financed Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda terrorist network, terrorism or terrorist groups," the publisher added. HarperCollins said it would print an errata slip for copies in bookstores and said it would delete any reference to Al Amoudi in a revised printing of the book. The company's statement did not say whether it would pay damages.
| Sounds like a first-class screw-up on vetting. Wonder if Mary Mapes was involved? |
On Jan. 27, 2004, British publisher Pluto Press withdrew from circulation its book "Reaping the Whirlwind Afghanistan," which made almost identical allegations against Al Amoudi. In its retraction, Pluto said, its allegations constituted "an extremely serious defamation of Mr. Al Amoudi." The publisher said it had agreed to pay "substantial damages."
Several large American newspapers, including USA Today and the Boston Herald, have corrected articles about Al Amoudi's business connections or alleged links to funding terror. |