Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Joatsimeon/Archive

09 July 2011

 * Suspected sockpuppets




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I suspect that all of the IP addresses and one user account are used by Tom MacMaster, creator of Amina Abdallah Arraf al Omari. Two of the IPs self-identify as MacMaster. The IPs 88.233.127.238 and 195.175.230.155 said they were Tom MacMaster, while Joatsimeon is implying he is not MacMaster, and 85.105.159.200 and 188.74.64.53 did not say he/she was MacMaster.
 * Edits by Joatsimeon: Special:Contributions/Joatsimeon
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=prev&oldid=438436935 - Some portions of this revision violated BLP (adding unsourced commentary), added a pro-MacMaster POV, added unsourced commentary
 * Removing sourced content with heading "removing BLP violations": http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=prev&oldid=438327694
 * Accusing me (WhisperToMe) of being Minal Hajratwala: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Joatsimeon&diff=prev&oldid=438326874
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=438411692&oldid=438364573 - "(which is, incidentally, why I am very curious as to WhisperToMe connections to Hajratwala)."
 * As a note, Joatsimeon had removed some talk page discussions from his talk page. While it's a normal practice, I thought I would link to the revision history of the talk page anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Joatsimeon&action=history
 * As a note, MacMaster has been involved in an online dispute with Minal Hajratwala, a blogger:
 * http://www.minalhajratwala.com/2011/06/a-thousand-sighs-memoir-of-a-hoax/
 * http://www.minalhajratwala.com/2011/06/amina-and-me-part-ii/
 * Edits by 88.233.127.238: Special:Contributions/88.233.127.238
 * Removal of sourced content, changing "stated" to "claimed": http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=434592015&oldid=434591897
 * Removal of more content: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=next&oldid=434592015
 * Adding unsourced commentary: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=next&oldid=434592181
 * Edits by 85.105.159.200: Special:Contributions/85.105.159.200
 * Self-identifies as Tom MacMaster: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=next&oldid=434751080
 * Removing sourced content: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=prev&oldid=434345835
 * Removing talk page sections on possible internet activities by MacMaster, including information from reliable sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=prev&oldid=434751080
 * Blocked for making legal threats: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&page=User%3A85.105.159.200&type=block
 * Edits by 195.175.230.155: Special:Contributions/195.175.230.155
 * Says he is Tom MacMaster: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari&diff=prev&oldid=434926196
 * Blocked for making legal threats: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&page=User%3A195.175.230.155&type=block
 * Edits by 188.74.64.53 (an IP mentioned in the Umm Ibni blog posts): Special:Contributions/188.74.64.53
 * Change from "stated" to "claimed": http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Max_Blumenthal&diff=prev&oldid=435300652 -- Max Blumenthal got into an online dispute with MacMaster:
 * http://maxblumenthal.com/2011/06/amina-fraud-tom-macmaster-threatens-to-sue-me/
 * http://maxblumenthal.com/2011/06/inside-tom-macmasters-facebook-world-where-friends-and-family-support-his-hoax/
 * Removal of external link to Minal Hijratwala's blog: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minal_Hajratwala&diff=prev&oldid=435472781
 * Making BLP violating claims about Minal Hijratwala: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minal_Hajratwala&diff=next&oldid=435472781
 * Edits by 188.74.110.134 - Special:Contributions/188.74.110.134 (An IP mentioned by the Electronic Intifada as a possible MacMaster IP: http://electronicintifada.net/blog/ali-abunimah/new-evidence-about-amina-gay-girl-damascus-hoax )
 * The blog says: "In a comment on that post, Paula Brooks, executive editor of LGR, gave two IP addresses which she said had been used by Amina to access LGR’s servers. The whois records for these IP addreses both have descriptions that indicate they are allocated to UoE or The University of Edinburgh.
 * One of these IP addresses was the source of a number of edits to various articles on Wikipedia. These edits from 188.74.110.134 begin in October 2010. The edited pages all involve Middle East, Arab, Islamic and historical topics.
 * MacMaster posted Facebook updates between 4 September 2010 and 8 September 2010 documenting his move from Stone Mountain, Georgia to Edinburgh, UK, including 47 photographs added to a gallery named “First Days in Edinburgh” on 8 September.
 * Topics of Wikipedia articles edited from the Edinburgh IP address overlap with many topics and subject areas in which MacMaster and Froelicher have documented interests and experiences according to online records."
 * LezGetReal post: http://ict4peace.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/an-apology-to-our-readers-about-amina-abdallah-lez-get-real.pdf - It also mentions the IP User:188.74.64.5, which currently has no edits on Wikipedia: Special:Contributions/188.74.64.5
 * Evidence that Tom MacMaster himself sockpuppets or is likely to sockpuppet:
 * New York Times comment section of: Mackey, Robert. "While Posing as a Syrian Lesbian, Male Blogger Tried to Get a Book Deal." The New York Times.
 * "Michael from New York" says: "Hajratwala is violating MacMaster's copyright. Laws exist for all people, jerks included. I hope he cleans her out for her graceless and unprofessionalism. Certainly, this is the last time any one will look to her for assistance as she sees theft as justified so long as the victim is a heterosexual, white non-elite type"
 * Robert Mackey says "Readers should be aware that registration data indicates that this comment appears to have been submitted by Mr. MacMaster himself, using a false name and location."
 * Accusations that MacMaster uses the alias "Miriam Umm Ibni" to defend himself: Addley, Esther. "Gay Girl in Damascus hoaxer accused of defending himself with new persona." The Guardian. June 26, 2011.
 * Posts by "Miriam Umm Ibni": http://mondoweiss.net/2011/06/arab-lgbt-movement-we-are-not-victims-in-need-of-a-white-male-savior-working-in-london.html WhisperToMe (talk) 03:31, 9 July 2011 (UTC)
 * NPR reported that MacMaster had edited Wikipedia before: Peralta, Eyder. "Man Behind Syrian Blogger Hoax: Something 'Innocent ... Got Out Of Hand'." NPR. June 13, 2011.
 * "MacMaster said Amina was born out of a fascination with the Middle East. He said he's been so enthralled with Syria, for example, that he was banned from Wikipedia for making too many edits on the country."

Note: I was an involved user, engaging in a debate with User:Joatsimeon regarding edits to Amina Abdallah Arraf al Omari (see Talk:Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari and ) and Minal Hajratwala. Also see Reliable_sources/Noticeboard. Nevertheless other editors told me it is okay to file this SPI.

Several of the IPs trace to Turkey. If MacMaster was using them, it makes sense, since MacMaster was vacationing in Turkey around the time the scandal first broke out: The other IPs originate from the United Kingdom. If MacMaster was using them, it makes sense since he studies at the University of Edinburgh:
 * Collins, Liat. "My Word: Living lies." Jerusalem Post. June 18, 2011.
 * Addley, Esther. "Syrian lesbian blogger is revealed conclusively to be a married man." The Guardian. Monday 13 June 2011.

As another note, Joatsimeon has a Commons account: Commons:User_talk:Joatsimeon

And an update: a blog pointed out that User:Joatsimeon removed a sentence in the article S. M. Stirling that stated that the internet handle for S. M. Stirling was "Joatsimeon": http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=S._M._Stirling&diff=prev&oldid=356413245

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.''
 * I have heard that "Joatsimeon" is the name the author S.M. Stirling uses on his web group at http://www.smstirling.com/, and Stirling expelled the "Amina" persona of Tom MacMaster from that web group because of his political posts. Abigailgem (talk) 17:04, 10 July 2011 (UTC)


 * Indeed, joatsimeon is the username used by Stirling on-line since at least the early 1990s. I'm shocked to find the wiki account by that name does not belong to the author - the use of the name is at a minimum inappropriate, a form of identity theft.

Tarl.Neustaedter (talk) 19:46, 10 July 2011 (UTC)


 * This is the last comment that will be made from this account. It was originally set up to clean up some comments that were inappropriate regarding Mr Stirling on his wikipedia page (check the history there) and has been used by me off and on to defend the reputations of other people, MacMaster included. No harm was meant to either Stirling or MacMaster. Joatsimeon (talk) 22:24, 10 July 2011 (UTC)
 * I checked via e-mail with S.M. Stirling - he confirms that his username on WP is User:Steve Stirling WhisperToMe (talk) 16:20, 11 July 2011 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Well... the currently unblocked IPs have gone quiet; two haven't edited in a month, and the third for three months. It seems that if Joatsimeon was the IPs, he's gone back to one account for now. Relist if there are new developments, however. —  Hello Annyong  (say whaaat?!) 03:29, 14 July 2011 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets



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 * Editor interaction utility

Edits to A Gay Girl in Damascus. Duedemagistris has repeatedly removed over 2000 bytes of this article. The article concerns a hoax blog, and the parts removed are criticism of the shoddy writing of that blog, and reflect badly on the hoaxer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=754571075&oldid=754569216 https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=739299125&oldid=732110595

These are similar to vandalism by Joatsimeon:

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=438327694&oldid=438320534 Abigailgem (talk) 11:10, 13 December 2016 (UTC) Abigailgem (talk) 11:10, 13 December 2016 (UTC)

Edits to Talk:A Gay Girl In Damascus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AA_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=754571181&oldid=754570578 Removing a talk section on possible vandalism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AA_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=601802666&oldid=579480697 Removing most of the talk page, which has later been archived here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Amina_Abdallah_Arraf_al_Omari/Archive_1

92.239.143.244 This edit attacking those who edit the page, saying "The main purpose of the article appears to be an attempt by activists to express their outrage over being fooled and to punish the one who perpetrated it; the second is almost certainly a BLP violation and both goals violate Neutrality (as well as notability)" https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AA_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=666890347&oldid=666745741

NormativeMan This unsigned edit to Talk:A Gay Girl in Damascus using bad language: "Fuck Macmaster and his transphobic bullshit. Wikipedia is NOT a safe space for cishet whiteboys and their hatespeech. Fuck these nasty boys and stop the hate! Let's show him for the transphobe he is!" https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AA_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=754574768&oldid=754574486 This, after I had complained of Duedemagistris' misgendering me here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:A_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus#Conflict_of_interest_vandalism_by_editor_Duedemagistris I do not think Duedemagistris necessarily transphobic, as many trans women get upset by misgendering it is a mean trick anyone can play. I am not upset by the misgendering.

NormativeMan This edit to A Gay Girl in Damascus accusing Tom MacMaster of being a transphobe: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Gay_Girl_In_Damascus&type=revision&diff=754575046&oldid=754571240 Abigailgem (talk) 13:50, 13 December 2016 (UTC)

Duedemagistris- this edit to the talk page appears to be a confession: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Duedemagistris&oldid=754595365 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Abigailgem (talk • contribs) 14:18, 13 December 2016 (UTC)

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.'' Please feel free to read the material posted on my user page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Duedemagistris. Note that I have only requested that material that is false (of which, at one point, I had counted 17 errors of fact in the article on me) and does not reflect a NPOV be removed related to myself and that I have only done as I have received clearance to do. I am not engaging in destructive or libelous activities and would hope that those with their own peculiar axes to grind against me would reflect on their own motivations and whether or not they are truly being constructive or trying to find the light in every person. Duedemagistris (talk) 14:13, 13 December 2016 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * - Can a dual CU/OS please review this alleged confession and opine on this case? King of &hearts;   &diams;   &clubs;  &spades; 05:38, 8 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Duedemagistris = NormativeMan =, master is stale. BUT Back in 2014 an administrator advised him to create a new account while this person had indicated but not disclosed a blocked account. So i'm not sure how much we can hold the user responsible for this. -- Amanda  (aka DQ) 22:15, 8 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Closing with no action - this is recorded here now so no further action needed. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 07:26, 21 February 2017 (UTC)