Nicholas also said that Bickford told investigators that “all government officials,” including police officers, were a target due to the US government’s support of Israel. The Washington Post reported that authorities “have been investigating whether Bickford was motivated by Islamic extremism.” Bickford is a convert to Islam.
Several major Western news outlets, however, failed to report on Bickford’s alleged motive.
A January 6 CBS report, for example, didn’t disclose Bickford’s anti-Israel animus. The article did provide additional details about the suspect, noting that a notebook was found in his backpack “with writings about wanting to go to Afghanistan and train to become a holy warrior.” CBS also noted that Bickford was on an FBI terror watchlist at the time of the attack. But the report — which was filed after Nicholas revealed Bickford’s motivation — failed to mention the suspect’s hatred of the Jewish state and its role in the attack.
Nor was CBS alone. A Wall Street Journal report made the same mistake. And so did a local ABC affiliate. The latter provided extensive details about the charges brought against Bickford, only to omit the attacker’s anti-Israel motive. Other publications, such as The Hill, failed to update their initial reports and provide readers with additional information about the incident.
