Tapper hits Fox, Hannity over ‘Allahu Akbar’ comments after NY terror attack

CNN’s Jake Tapper is defending his comments surrounding the phrase “Allahu Akbar,” saying in a series of tweets Wednesday night that Fox News and host Sean Hannity “chooses to deliberately lie about” what he said on the air shortly after the terror attack in New York City.

Tapper’s response comes after terror suspect Sayfullo Saipov reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” after he allegedly plowed his rented truck into cyclists and pedestrians on a bike path in downtown Manhattan, leaving 8 people dead.

“Allahu Akbar” is Arabic for “God is great.”

“The Arabic chant ‘Allahu Akbar,’ God is great, sometimes is said under the most beautiful of circumstances. And too often, we hear it being said in moments like this,” Tapper said on CNN’s “The Lead” on Tuesday afternoon.

FoxNews.com published a story on Tapper’s comments and in a tweet said: “Jake Tapper Says ‘Allahu Akbar’ Is ‘Beautiful’ Right After NYC Terror Attack.”

Tapper took exception on Twitter to the second half of his statement being omitted.

“Fox News is lying,” Tapper wrote to his 1.45 million followers. “I said it can be said at beautiful moments (wedding, birth) and too often at times like this (horrific terrorist attack).”

“Allahu Akbar” is a prayer; if we don’t understand how radical Islamic terrorists justify their evil using religion, West cannot defeat it,” he wrote in another tweet.

“.@FoxNews chooses instead to deliberately lie about what I said. Following the slime-coated path of @DailyCaller and @infowars. Disgusting,” Tapper added in a third tweet.

Fox News is lying. I said it can be said at beautiful moments (wedding, birth) and too often at times like this (horrific terrorist attack). https://t.co/rQx3r0za6I

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017

“Allahu Akbar” is a prayer; if we don’t understand how radical Islamic terrorists justify their evil using religion, West cannot defeat it

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017

.@FoxNews chooses instead to deliberately lie about what I said. Following the slime-coated path of @DailyCaller and @infowars. Disgusting.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017

The FoxNews.com tweet promoting the story has since been deleted.

Former Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), now a Fox News contributor, guest hosted Fox’s “The Five” on Wednesday night and apologized for his criticism of Tapper.

“In retrospect I don’t think I gave @jaketapper a fair shake tonight. My bad,” he wrote to his 317,000 followers.

In retrospect I don’t think I gave @jaketapper a fair shake tonight. My bad.

— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) November 1, 2017

{mosads}Hannity took a different path, calling Tapper “liberal fake news CNN’s fake Jake Tapper” on his 10 p.m. Fox News program while showing Tapper’s Tuesday comment to his audience.

“Tapper has since been levying multiple attacks on the Fox News Channel reporting the comments, in context, that you just listened to,” Hannity said.

“Hey Jake, maybe that’s why you have low ratings,” Hannity added.

“Tell your audience the truth.”

Tapper responded by evoking Hannity’s coverage of unfounded conspiracy theories around the murder of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich earlier this year.

“Hannity lying now. The @FoxNews tweet I was referring to has been deleted because it was false,” Tapper wrote.

“Hannity, of course, smeared the late Seth Rich while his parents were still in mourning, so why wouldn’t he lie about this?” he asked in a second tweet.

Hannity lying now. The @FoxNews tweet I was referring to has been deleted because it was false. https://t.co/WPQtgzNGuU

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017

Hannity, of course, smeared the late Seth Rich while his parents were still in mourning, so why wouldn’t he lie about this?

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017

The Hill has reached out to Fox News for comment.