An earlier version of the sentence reads (bold mine):
As of Sunday afternoon, NPR was not able to independently verify the man’s identity or motives.
Although there were indications that he was a US servicemember (he was wearing a uniform) and likely his identity - as you mentioned, he recorded the video - they were not verified at that time.
Once his Identity was verified, the reporter removed that part of the line. Once his motives were verified, she removed that part of the line as well. This is just how news reporting works.
No they posted his name so his identity was verified, they were just not sure about his motivations." Let’s check that quote
My name is Aaron Bushnell. I am an active-duty member of the US Air Force, and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I’m about to engage in an extreme act of protest — but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.
Free Palestine
Geez this is all so vague, we only heard his name!
Let’s write an article about it not mention anything else from the video!
I mean, him stating a name and his motivations and verifying that it was indeed this man and those were his motives are two different things.
I like journalism that verifies statements. Is there a man by that name and is he deceased? If the answer to those questions had been “no”, it would have been an entirely different story.
He was screaming “Free Palestine” while on fire. On video. A first party source.
There is zero nuance here.
The fact that the last paragraph referenced israeli hostages is the final nail in the coffin fully proving the intentions of this article.
Stop giving these propaganda writers the benefit of the doubt. It’s very clear that consent for genocide is being manufactured.