Last week, Aaron took the BBC to task for their skewed branding of “extremists.” Apparently the Brits reserve that label for ultra-orthodox Jews and settlers in West Bank, as opposed to violent radicals such as Abu Qatada. Charles Cook over at NRO — whose piece on the British broadcasting giant’s aversion to label radical Islamists with the “E” word — credited Aaron’s exploration of the BBC’s editorial license.
Well, it appears Aaron and Charles may have helped prompt a change of tune over at the BBC.
This morning, the BBC’s article on Abu Qatada’s release from detention led with the following:
Abu Qatada, accused of being one of the UK’s most dangerous extremist preachers, is to be released from Long Lartin top-security jail later.
Sidebar analysis from the BBC’s Home Affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani was similarly profuse with use of the word:
…if [Abu Qatada] crosses that line, hops on a bus or meets anyone on a long list of other alleged extremists, he will breach his bail.
Sounds like the BBC has learned a valuable lesson, as instructed by our own Aaron Goldstein…