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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Sacha Baron Cohen threatened by Palestinian terrorists over Bruno film |
| 2009-07-27 |
| The Martyrs Brigades, a group of West Bank Palestinian insurgents, said it was "very upset" that it appeared in the film starring Baron Cohen's flamboyant Austrian homosexual character and would "respond in a suitable way", according to a statement published on the Right-wing website called World Net Daily. In the film, Bruno, a television journalist interviews Ayman Abu Aita, who is claimed in the movie to be the leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Mr Baron Cohen's character implores Mr Abu Aita to capture him, saying, "I want to be famous. I want the best guys in the business to kidnap me. Al-Qaeda is so 2001." Mr Abu Aita and his associates were angry by his portrayal according to the statement published by the Jerusalem bureau of the World Net Daily. "We reserve the right to respond in the way we find suitable against this man. The movie was part of a conspiracy against the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades," the statement read. "According to what we checked there was was no meeting about the real context of the film," the statement added "This was a dirty use of our brother, Ayman, and we don't accept that the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is part of the film." A lawyer for Mr Abu Aita said that he was tricked into appearing in the film and was no longer involved with the Martyrs Brigades, it was reported. He added that Mr Abu Aitas planned to file a law suit against the 37-year-old British comedian. Mr Baron Cohen has reportedly tightened his security following the publication of the statement. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #4 Like this, Gromky? |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2009-07-27 21:23 |
| #3 We should have started with ridicule like this on September 12, 2001. But no, the media wouldn't allow it, the only bad ones are ourselves. I'm actually surprised Cohen did this, considering the idealogical ramifications. |
| Posted by: gromky 2009-07-27 16:54 |
| #2 Mr Abu Aita’s lawyer, Hatem Abu Ahmad, has said that he is preparing a legal action against Baron Cohen and Universal Studios, alleging that the terrorist reference could get his client in trouble with the Israelis and that the homosexual association could get him killed by the Palestinians. Mr Abu Ahmad said: “This joke is very dangerous. We are not in the United States, we are not in Europe, we are in the Middle East and the world operates differently here.” |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-07-27 16:44 |
| #1 Cohen could never buy this kind of publicity. I wonder if he folds or doubles down. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2009-07-27 16:12 |