''Caliphate'' is a narrative podcast published by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' in 2018 which covers the

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...

(ISIL). It was hosted by reporter Rukmini Callimachi. The central figure of the podcast was Pakistani-Canadian Shehroze Chaudhry (using the name "Abu Huzaifa al-Kanadi"), who described in detail atrocities he claimed to have committed in Syria for ISIL. Concerns were raised that his story was a fabrication or a grave misrepresentation, and in 2020 Chaudhry was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's O Division

Integrated National Security Enforcement Team Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams (INSET; , ''EISN'') are Canada, Canadian Counterterrorism, counterterrorist, counter-Foreign electoral intervention, foreign interference, and Counterintelligence, counter-espionage units operating u ...

(OINSET) for lying about participating in terrorist activities. Following his arrest, ''The New York Times'' admitted to a severe editorial failing and retracted Chaudry's story.

Synopsis

A large portion of the podcast is dedicated to following the story of a Canadian ex-ISIL fighter using the ''nom de guerre'' Abu Huzaifa al-Kanadi. Callimachi found Huzaifa through

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

, and conducted an in-person interview in a hotel in Canada. The show details Huzaifa's radicalization and career as a member of ISIL's police, including an admission of carrying out executions on behalf of ISIL.

Initial reception

The podcast received a

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

and the

Overseas Press Club of America The Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) was founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of foreign correspondents. The wire service reporter Carol Weld was a founding member, as was the war correspondent Peggy Hull. The club seeks to maintain ...

award in 2019. Both would later be returned by the ''Times'' after doubts around Chaudry's story came to light. Callimachi was a finalist for the 2019

Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting This Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitz ...

for her reporting on ISIL, which included the podcast and " The ISIS Files" database. On December 22, 2020, the Pulitzer Prizes board indicated it would rescind the finalist status at the request of the ''Times''. In 2018, ''Caliphate'' won

International Documentary Association International Documentary Association (IDA), founded in 1982, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) that promotes nonfiction filmmakers, and is dedicated to increasing public awareness for the documentary genre. Their major program areas are: Advocacy, Film ...

's (IDA) documentary awards for the year's best audio documentary. The audio documentary category was awarded for the best in stand-alone and episodic series nonfiction storytelling in radio & podcast.

Abdul Huzaifa al-Kanadi controversy

On May 11, 2018, Conservative members of the

Parliament of Canada The Parliament of Canada () is the Canadian federalism, federal legislature of Canada. The Monarchy of Canada, Crown, along with two chambers: the Senate of Canada, Senate and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, form the Bicameral ...

demanded that Public Safety minister

Ralph Goodale Ralph Edward Goodale (born October 5, 1949) is a Canadian diplomat and retired politician who has served as the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom since April 19, 2021. Goodale was first elected in 1974 as the member of Parliam ...

take action against Huzaifa. Shortly after, Huzaifa told the

CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...

that he had lied about carrying out executions for ISIL. Huzaifa was arrested on September 25, 2020, after an investigation found that he had no ties to ISIL. He was charged with "hoax-terrorist activity", which is primarily used to prosecute fake

bomb threat A bomb threat or bomb scare is a threat, usually verbal or written, to detonate an explosive or incendiary device to cause property damage, death, injuries, and/or incite fear, whether or not such a device actually exists. History Bomb threats ...

s. Following his arrest, ''The New York Times'' revealed Huzaifa's real name (Shehroze Chaudhry) and announced that it would make a "fresh examination" of why he was featured on the podcast. On December 18, editors appended a note to the episode transcripts stating that "the episodes of 'Caliphate' that presented Mr. Chaudhry's claims did not meet our standards for accuracy", in addition to releasing another episode on the podcast's feed discussing the hoax. ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' argued that the editors note "fell short of a full retraction".

Michael Barbaro Michael Barbaro (born October 12, 1979) is an American journalist and co-host of ''The New York Times'' news podcast '' The Daily'', one of the most popular podcasts in the United States. Early life Barbaro grew up in North Haven, Connecticut. ...

, host of the ''Timess '' The Daily'', tweeted that "several episodes of the series do not touch on Chaudhry and their accuracy is not in question"; of the podcast's ten episodes, seven were centered around Chaudhry. Callimachi was reassigned following the incident, and the Overseas Press Club rescinded the award they had given for the podcast. On December 18, 2020, the ''Times'' also announced that, in view of the results of its investigation into the matter, it would return the

which had been won by the podcast.

References

External links

* {{The New York Times History podcasts 2018 podcast debuts 2018 podcast endings The New York Times podcasts Journalistic scandals 2018 hoaxes Hoaxes in the United States Journalistic hoaxes Works about the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 2020 controversies Documentary podcasts Internet-related controversies