Infowars issued an unexpected apology Friday for taking part in the debunked “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory alleging that former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her campaign chairman were involved in a child sex-trafficking ring based out of a Washington, D.C. pizza restaurant.

Radio host and Infowars founder Alex Jones posted a six-minute video to his site with a prepared statement in which he regretted his involvement in propagating the Pizzagate conspiracy theory during the 2016 presidential election.

The theory arose after WikiLeaks published emails from Clinton campaign Chairman John Podesta that some internet users claimed included code words for pedophilia and sex trafficking. Comet Ping Pong, a restaurant in Northwest D.C., soon found itself embroiled in the conspiracy theory as the site where the sex abuse took place. On Friday, Jones apologized to Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis and walked back on some of his claims.

“We apologize to the extent our commentaries could be construed as negative statements about Mr. Alefantis or Comet Ping Pong, and we hope that anyone else involved in commenting on Pizzagate will do the same thing.”

More from LifeZette TV

MORE NEWS: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg dead

“In our commentary about what had become known as Pizzagate, I made comments about Mr. Alefantis that in hindsight I regret, and for which I apologize to him,” Jones said in his statement. “Despite the fact that we were far from the genesis of this story, it is never easy to admit when your commentaries are based on inaccurate information, but we feel like we owe it to you the listeners, viewers and supporters to make that statement, and give an apology to you and to Mr. Alefantis, when we do.”

Noting that the “heightened focus” Alefantis and Comet Ping Pong were subjected to was “not appropriate,” Jones conceded that neither Alefantis nor the pizza restaurant “were involved in any human trafficking as was part of the theories about Pizzagate that were being written about in many media outlets and which we commented upon,” to his knowledge.

Do you agree that protesting is acceptable, but rioting is not? Yes No Email Address (required) By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement Results Vote

Jones also took the opportunity to emphasize that Infowars wasn’t the only site responsible for promoting the conspiracy theory.

“We were participating in a discussion that was being written about by scores of media outlets, in one of the most hotly contested and disputed political environments our country has ever seen. We relied on third-party accounts of alleged activities and conduct at the restaurant,” Jones said. “I want our viewers and listeners to know that we regret any negative impact our commentaries may have had on Mr. Alefantis, Comet Ping Pong, or its employees. We apologize to the extent our commentaries could be construed as negative statements about Mr. Alefantis or Comet Ping Pong, and we hope that anyone else involved in commenting on Pizzagate will do the same thing.”

MORE NEWS: ‘The View’ Derails After Kim Klacik Calls Out Joy Behar For ‘Parading In Blackface’

[lz_third_party align=center includes=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgE2rbrqQoI”]

Although Jones promised to “fight for children across America,” he reiterated that the Pizzagate narrative, “as least as concerning Mr. Alefantis and Comet Ping Pong … was based upon what we now believe was an incorrect narrative.”

Jones notably offered neither Clinton nor Podesta an apology for the flap.

[lz_related_box id=”289106″]

The Pizzagate controversy came to a head in December when North Carolinian Edgar Madisson Welch, armed with an assault rifle and handgun, entered Comet Ping Pong, fired shots, and declared that he came to investigate the sex abuse claims. As it turns out, Welch pleaded guilty Friday to his weapons and assault charges.

Although Jones did not reveal why he chose to issue his apology on Friday in particular, his timing indicates that he may have been attempting to avoid a possible lawsuit. Alefantis wrote a letter to Jones in February in which he demanded an apology for the “defaming” comments and a retraction of the Pizzagate posts. Jones had one month to respond to Alefantis or risk a potential libel lawsuit.

“I am pleased that Mr. Jones has apologized and admitted that he and his employees repeatedly spread falsehoods about me and my restaurant,” Alefantis said in a statement, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I wish that he would have made this admission and apology months ago. And his apology, while welcome, does nothing to address the harm he and his company have done to me, my business, and my community.”