You Decide: Bruno Terrorist Interview Reprise

Palestinian sues Baron Cohen over terrorist claim in film

A shopkeeper from Bethlehem who was branded a terrorist in Sacha Baron Cohen's film Bruno is seeking $110m (£67.5m) in damages.

Ayman Abu Aita is suing Baron Cohen, US talk show host David Letterman and others for libel and slander according to a lawsuit filed in the District of Columbia federal court last week.

The actor and comic Baron Cohen plays a gay Austrian fashion journalist in the film, which was released in the UK in July. Keen to become what he calls "the most famous Austrian since Hitler," Bruno travels to the middle east, and in a short interview with Abu Aita, asks to be kidnapped in an attempt to become famous.

A caption labels Abu Aita as a member of the militant al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, the armed wing of the Fatah movement. He is a member of the board of the Holy Land trust, a non-profit organisation that works on Palestinian community-building.

Cohen was interviewed on David Letterman's talkshow in the US, and said finding a "terrorist" to interview for the movie took several months and some help from a CIA contact.

He said he had feared for his safety during the interview with Abu Aita, which he claimed took place at a secret location.

According to the lawsuit, however, the interview with Abu Aita took place at a hotel chosen by Cohen in a part of the West Bank that was under Israeli military control. The film's distributor, NBC Universal, and the director, Larry Charles, are also named in the proceedings.

Abu Aita case is that before the film he "enjoyed a good reputation for honesty and a peaceable nature" in his community. His lawyers write that any accusations or insinuations that Abu Aita is or ever was associated with the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, or any other terrorist activity, is "utterly false and untrue."

His US lawyer, Joseph Peter Drennan, said Abu Aita was never offered a release to sign to appear in the film. "This is an important lawsuit because it is about the dignity of a specific person. It is about his reputation, about his standing in the community." Drennan said he expects a hearing in late January.

Hatem Abu Ahmad, Abu Aita's Arab-Israeli lawyer, said Baron Cohen made millions "on the back of my client."

His 2006 film Borat also attracted lawsuits, including one for $30m from two residents of the Romanian hamlet where Borat's "home town" scenes were filmed. Most of the cases were thrown out.

Guardian

Former Al-Aksa terrorist sues 'Bruno'

British actor Sacha Baron Cohen dressed as the character Bruno arrives for the British premiere of ' Bruno', in London.
Photo: AP

A self-proclaimed reformed Aksa Martyrs Brigades operative is claiming damages from Sacha Baron Cohen for portraying him as a terrorist in his new movie 'Bruno.'

In the movie, Cohen interviews the man, Ayman Abu Ayta, poking fun at terrorists and Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden.

"Your king, Osama looks either like a dirty wizard or a homeless Santa," says 'Bruno.'

"I want to be famous and I want the best guys in the business to kidnap me," he continues. "Al Qaida is so 2001."

Abu Ayta, an east Jerusalem resident, says that since his release from an Israel jail seven years ago, he has not engaged in any terror activity.

He told Channel 10 that he had received an offer to help make a movie "to promote peace."

"You lied about me and you said you want to do something for the Palestinian people," he told Channel 10, addressing the comedian. "I saw the film. It is very bad for me."

His lawyer, Hatem Abu Ahmad, who is in negotiations with the movie makers over compensation, said "a dirty trick" was played on his client.

He also said that part of the damages claim is the fact that Ayman himself was portrayed as a homosexual, due to Bruno's character as a gay Austrian supermodel.

"If someone here calls you a homo, it's a very serious insult," said Ahmad.

Source: JP