Trump aide cites ‘massacre’ that never occurred

A TRUMP administration aide corrected herself on Friday after a wave of criticism for referencing a 2011 “massacre” in Kentucky that never occurred to defend US President Donald Trump’s temporary ban on immigrants from seven Muslimmajority countries.

During an interview with MSNBC’S Chris Matthews on Thursday, White House counselor and spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway said Trump’s recent executive order was justified in part because of the “Bowling Green massacre” of 2011, which never took place.

Conway corrected herself on Friday in a post on Twitter, saying: “Honest mistakes abound.”

The phrase “Bowling Green massacre” was the top trending topic on Twitter on Friday morning as thousands of social media users mocked Conway’s error.

On Thursday, Conway spoke about two Iraqis who came to the United States and were radicalised, adding, erroneously, “and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre.” She then said: “Most people don’t know that because it didn’t get covered.”

In fact, in May 2011, two Iraqi men were arrested in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and charged with attempting to send weapons and money to al Qaeda in Iraq. They admitted to using improvised explosive devices against US soldiers in Iraq.

Mohanad Shareef Hammadi and Waad Ramadan Alwan pleaded guilty and were sentenced to life in prison and to 40 years in prison, respectively. Neither was charged with plotting attacks within the US, prosecutors said.

Conway said on Twitter that she meant to say “Bowling Green terrorists” on the show. She also slammed a network reporter for criticising her.

“NBC reporter texted me at 632am re:a diff story; never asked what I meant on @Hardball b4 slamming me on @TODAYSHOW Not cool, not journalism,” Conway wrote on Twitter. REUTERS

Conway later admitted the error, said she meant to say ‘Bowling Green terrorists’.