Ahmed Akkari
Ahmad Akkari on Danish TV2 in 1999, being interviewed for a report about the veiling of womenAhmed Akkari (b. 1978 in Lebanon) is a Danish political activist who became known for his involvement [1] in the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. Widely called an “Imam” in the media[2], he himself denied being one[3]
He is the spokesman of the Danish-based European Committee for Prophet Honouring.[4] and (former) spokesman of the Islamisk Trossamfund (Islamic Society in Denmark). [5]
Early Years
Aalborg Stiftstidende, February 1994 “I am Danish. 15-year-old Ahmed would rather leave his family than go to Lebanon”Ahmed Akkari was born in Lebanon in 1978. In 1985 the Akkari family came to Denmark, where they obtained asylum, but returned to Lebanon in 1990. Upon their return to Denmark a year later they found they didn’t qualify as refugees again, because the lebanese civil war was over. With the support of some Danish local media, which featured young Ahmed as a model immigrant, they were granted a humanitarian residency permit in 1994. Ahmed Akkari subsequently went to high school and trained as a teacher in Århus. He became a Danish citizen in 2005.[6][7]
Conviction for violence
In 2001 Ahmad Akkari was sentenced to 40 days of probation for beating an 11-year old schoolboy on 3. November 2000 because the boy had allegedly been bullying Akkari’s little sister. Akkari, who was studying to be a teacher at the time, was present that day at Muslim private school Lykkeskolen in Aarhus where he had previously worked as a temporary teacher. His sister came to him and complained that a classmate had tried to pull her headscarf off. Akkari then sought out the boy, pulled his ear drawing blood, and threw him to the ground kicking him several times.[8][9][10] The female teacher who pressed charges against Akkari was later fired after pressure from Muslim parents.[11]
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
Ahmed Akkari is a co-author of the Akkari-Laban Dossier, which played a major role in the Muhammend cartoon controversy by bringing the issue to the attention of influential decision-makers in the Middle East.
Naser Khader threat
This article documents a current event.
Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.
In a documentary published by French television channel France 2 23 March 2006, Akkari was recorded – using a hidden camera – in conversation with Sheikh Raed Hlayhel (who was the head of the delegation to disseminate the Mohammad cartoon dossier). Akkari made a statement which can be interpreted as an implicit death threat against Naser Khader, who is a moderate muslim and a member of the danish parliament for the Social Liberal Party. According to the footage Akkari said: “…If Khader becomes minister of integration, shouldn’t someone dispatch two guys to blow up him and his ministry?…”[12][13].
The comment is currently disputed. In the Arabiac-French translation, Akkari calls for an attack on the ministry, but in two Arabic-Danish translations, Akkari merely states the possibility of such an attack. TV2’s Arabic-Danish translation says “…If he (Khader) becomes minister of integration, isn’t it possible that a couple (of people) would come to blow up him and his ministry?…”[14].
A fellow party member from Khader’s party Elsebeth Gerner Nielsen has reported Ahmed Akkari to the police. Ahmed Akkari initially denied the statements, then apologized and explained it was meant as a joke. Nevertheless the charge against him persists.
The following day, 24 March, Islamisk Trossamfund announced that Ahmed Akkari was no longer spokesman for the organization;[15] Akkari denies[16] this.
References
↑ “Alienated Danish Muslims Sought Help from Arabs”, Spiegel Online, 2006-02-01.
↑ “Danish Muslims split over cartoons”, BBC, 2006-02-08.
↑ “A Danish Muslim activist speaks”, Telegraph, 2006-02-03.
↑ “Danish paper rejected Jesus cartoons”, Guardian, 2006-02-06.
↑ “Spokesman for Islamisk Trossamfund Akkari chats with Bjerager on TV”, TV 2 (Denmark), 2006-02-06.
↑ “Akkari: Jeg taler ikke med Ekstra Bladet”, Ekstra Bladet, 2006-02-14.
↑ “Akkari: Akkaris Dobbeltspil”, Ekstra Bladet, 2006-02-16.
↑ “Imam apologized for assault on 11-year-old”, agora, 2006-02-16.
↑ “Akkari stod til fængsel”, Ekstra Bladet, 2006-02-15.
↑ “Ahmed Akkari, the man behind the pig snout”, bibelen.blogspot.com, 2006-02-26.
↑ “Fired for telling on violent imam (in Danish”, Ekstra Bladet, 2006-02-16.
↑ “Imam meldt til politiet (Danish)”, Danmarks Radio, 2006-03-23.
↑ “Danish police to probe imam’s bomb threats”, Reuters, 2006-03-23.
↑ “Tvivl om imams udtalelser om Khader(Danish)”, Politiken, 2006-03-23.
↑ “Akkari er ikke længere talsmand(Danish)”, Danmarks Radio, 2006-03-24.
↑ “page 4”, Jyllands Posten, 2006-03-26.
Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Akkari”
Leave a Reply