S.F. Man Says Beheading Video Is a Hoax

[Reciprocity]

There are some sick puppies out there.


S.F. Man Says Beheading Video Is a Hoax
Published: Aug 07, 2004 - 03:01:18 pm CDT
S.F. Man Says Beheading Video Is a Hoax
By RON HARRIS


SAN FRANCISCO - An aspiring politician and video game designer who faked his own beheading by Iraqi militants set off a short-lived media frenzy Saturday after media around the world began showing his homemade video of the gruesome hoax.

Benjamin Vanderford, 22, said he posted the 55-second clip, which shows a knife sawing against his neck, on an online file-sharing network in May. It circulated in cyberspace before crossing over to major media, airing on Arab television.
"It was part of a stunt, but no one noticed it up until now," Vanderford told The Associated Press after being awoken at his San Francisco apartment early Saturday and informed that much of the world was suddenly under the impression he had been decapitated.

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents interviewed Vanderford Saturday morning and an investigation has been opened, said FBI spokeswoman LaRay Quy. She said the agency initially became involved while trying to verify whether anyone had, in fact, been beheaded
For more..
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/articles/2004/08/07/ap/headlines/d84aj9bo0.txt

[Tosca]

1. Strange, strange men.

[Piperay]

2. So many sick people

in this World who need some kind of therapy or something. I don't think a day goes by that I don't have contact with someone who is unbalanced, (course I live in CA but still...) seems to be so many more ill people than ever. :-(

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. His point was, how easy it is to fake something like this

he decided to distribute the footage on Kazaa, which is used to trade millions of audio, video and software files daily, "to just make a statement on these type of videos and how easily they can be faked."
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/articles/2004/08/07/ap/headlines/d84aj9bo0.txt

If this guy can get this fake story reported all over the world, imagine what the CIA can do.

[Dover]

4. Can't believe how many people are missing his POINT! Geez!

The question they should be asking themselves is how many OTHER beheading videos were hoaxes?

[DulceDecorum]

9. You mean there might actually be a real beheading video?

We thought it was just some weekend stunt
thunk up by some public relations people
to keep the war-kettle boiling over the weekend.

[Longhorn79]

10. Which ones are hoaxes?

I don't want to revisit those vids, but they looked pretty real, what with the decapitated heads and all.

[salonghorn70]

12. Welcome To DU

Longhorn79, good to see you.:hi:

[Longhorn79]

13. Hey! Hook em Horns

[salonghorn70]

5. Who Cares About His Point

When I read the original story I got a sick feeling as I do whenever I read of this. So he is responsible for that. If he thinks that this is the way to make a point, then he really does need some help. Also, I suspect his future political career is finished. That is probably for the best.

[Disturbed]

6. Nick Berg Beheading?

That sunk into the memory hole.

[HamHocks4Kerry]

7. Along with the many questions that have yet to be answered.

[teryang]

8. This is protected speech

And also a valuable demonstration of how the news media is so easily manipulated.

[dumpster_baby]

11. it is protected. And how shameful for the DA to be saying that he will try

...to prosecute this guy for whatever he can find. THe more I understand America, the more I am reminded of Shirley Jackson's story, The Lottery.

[Moderator]

14. Duplicate

Please add this link to the older post if it offers new information.

Here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x734440