A social media account operated by Chay Bowes, the man behind the “Leo the Leak” scandal, repeatedly shared extreme pro-Russian propaganda, praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, and called for Russia to invade Ukraine.
The account – @questionitall71 –is anonymous, but Gript have been able to confirm that the account was used between 2011 and 2015 by Bowes. Gript were able to confirm Bowes’s ownership of the account due to messages between the account and an individual who knew Bowes. The account had also put up messages discussing a media appearance by Bowes and businesses that are known to have been owned by Bowes.
Whilst Bowes operated the account it is believed that a number of people had access to the account and posted from it.
The account repeatedly expressed pro-Putin views: Retweeting, for example, material saying that Vladimir Putin was hated because the media had “programmed” the public to hate him, but that he deserved support because he stood against “the new world order and one world Government”.
During the time it was most active the account: called on the Russian military to invade Ukraine and “kill the Nazi dogs”; shared material supporting Putin because he opposed the “New World Order”; stated it was “obvious” that the 2015 assassination of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was “committed to undermine Putin”; shared material calling on one of the headquarters of Goldman Sachs to be targeted by a drone strike; and shared material arguing that Russia was not involved in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing 298 people.
In June of 2019 four suspects, three Russians and a Ukrainian, were charged with the murder of those 298 people. One of those charged was a former colonel in Russia’s FSB intelligence service who is believed to have been in direct contact with Moscow during the period.
The account also wrote numerous times about the state of Israel, alleging that they were a “failed state” which would be “extinct” if not for “USA arms and cash.” It said that “Israel spends most of its time acting like the Nazis it says it was created to protect its people from”. It also retweeted material calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal.
According to the account, the Ukrainian president was “a CIA controlled fascist”, the Ukranian military were “fascists” and Nazis who “murdered children” and Ukraine itself was an “economic wasteland.” The account stated said that “Ukraine is the USA dog…the Russian army should crush Ukraine, davi!!!!” He also called on Russia to show “no more mercy” for “murdering liars” and “nazi dogs.” In another tweet he said it was a pity that Kiev had not been destroyed by military forces.
The views expressed about Putin and Ukraine may be partially explained by an apparent reliance on Russia Today for news. A reliance the account explained as being due to the fact that Russia Today was “probably the only news source not directly controlled by the CIA”. In one message the account referred to Putin as “our President” saying that he needed “the support of the great Russian people” to “defend against the EU/USA financial war.”
On multiple occasions, the account sent apparently unsolicited messages to Gerry Adams TD. On one instance the account told Adams that he should “sock it to that traitor to the founders of the labour movement” and that Sinn Fein were the “only Labour Party now!!” In a different message the account vented its frustrations about Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, saying that “since the foundation of the state thousands have suffered rape and abuse under and with the knowledge FF and FG governments.”
On another occasion, the account sent Adams a link to a video which argued that the Russian occupation of Crimea was “legitimate and peaceful.” The video in question was produced by a YouTube channel that specialises in conspiracy theories and whose currently pinned Twitter video promises to show “definitive evidence that the US and its allies are lying about the supposed chemical attacks in Syria.” The channel mostly focuses on international political and financial conspiracy theories, but it does also produce videos on topics such as why fluoride is poison and how to cure “chronic MRSA infections” by covering your entire body in a particular kind of tea. In 2014 the account wrote to the channel to tell them they were doing “great work.”
We contacted Bowes prior to the publication of this article to offer him the chance to explain the material the account had posted. W Bowes told us that he had no comment to make. We asked Bowes if he would like to deny the account was his, given the nature of the material posted on the account, and he again said he would not comment, adding that “I’m not saying it was mine.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was revised and amended on February 16th, 2023, to remove some commentary that was in the original, and to focus more on the facts at hand.
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