EGYPT: Movie star facing death threats for criticizing Hamas

Egyptian movie star Adel Imam has sparked a fuss by criticizing Hamas and holding it partially responsible for the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. His criticism of the Palestinian militant group has spurred radical Islamist leaders to issue a fatwa calling for Imam's execution.

Earlier this month, Imam told the independent daily al-Masry al-Youm:

“The Egyptian leadership warned the Palestinian leaders against Israeli attacks; however, they did not pay attention and fought a disproportionate war. It is better that Hamas stops what it is doing because Israel will not respond with flowers.”

Imam also criticized pro-Hamas demonstrations that erupted around the Arab world blaming Egypt for the blockade suffered by Hamas.

His statements did not go unnoticed. On the contrary, they stirred a debate among his detractors, who accused him of being an apologist for the government of President Hosni Mubarak, which refused to open its border with Gaza to Palestinian refugees. Imam was reportedly condemned by radical websites in Algeria and Morocco as an unbeliever.

Abou Mosaab Abdel Wadoud, the leader of Al Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, condoned the  actor's execution. Abdel Wadoud was quoted on some radical websites as saying: “In the midst of this huge calamity that Gaza endures, some pagans and unbelievers like to downplay the blood of martyrs including children, women and fighters who fight for the sake of God. Adel Imam, the apostate and unbeliever, did so, so his blood deserves to be shed.” 

Imam faced similar accusations in the past for some of his controversial movies. Last summer, some radical groups on Facebook accused him of apostasy for playing the role of a Coptic priest in the movie "Hassan we Morkos" (Hassan and Marcos). 

—Noha El-Hennawy in Cairo

Photo: Adel Imam, left, and Omar Sharif in a still from "Hassan we morkos." Credit: AFP / Getty Images

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