BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- An American has confessed that it was him who posted false information on an online encyclopedia Wikipedia linking a prominent journalist to the Kennedy assassinations, and said it was a bad joke.

    Brian Chase, 38, posted an entry in May this year on Wikipedia site about John Seigenthaler Sr., the former publisher of the Tennessean newspaper and founding editorial director of USA Today, falsely stating that Seigenthaler was involved in the Kennedy assassinations of both John, and his brother, Bobby.

    The entry motivated Seigenthaler to write an op-ed piece for USA Today blasting Wikipedia's credibility. He described himself as a close friend of Robert Kennedy and said he had worked with President Kennedy.

   He said "the most painful thing was to have them suggest that I was suspected of their assassination."

    Chase presented a letter of apology Friday explaining his role to John Seigenthaler. Chase said the additions he made to Seigenthaler's biography were intended to be "a joke" on a co-worker on what he thought was "some sort of 'gag' encyclopedia."

    "I didn't think twice about just leaving it there because I didn't think anyone would ever take it seriously for more than a few seconds," he wrote.

    Chase said he didn't know the free Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia was used as a serious reference tool.

    Chase resigned on Friday from Rush Delivery, where he was an operation manager, because he doesn't want to involve the company in any legal troubles, even Seigenthaler said he doesn't plan on pursuing legal action. Enditem

(Agencies)