Terrorist Sues Sacha Baron Cohen--For Making Him Look Bad

Who knew terrorists were so sensitive:

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.

Times Online further clarifies that there are two issues:

Mr Abu Aita’s lawyer, Hatem Abu Ahmad, said that he is preparing a legal action against Baron Cohen and Universal Studios alleging that the Martyrs’ Brigade reference could get his client in trouble with the Israelis and the homosexual association could get him killed by the Palestinians.

So being identified as a terrorist means Aita 'gets in trouble' with Israel--but being identified as gay gets him killed by his fellow Palestinian Arabs.
It's clear which Aita and his lawyer take more seriously.

David Hazony notes a larger irony:

And so, for just a few days, we all got to enjoy the splendid irony of an organization dedicated to killing innocent people trying to claim its right to preserve its pristine reputation as being straight — that is, of a convicted terrorist suing somebody for defamation.

But then, reason set in. “Wait a minute,” the folks at Al-Aksa apparently said to themselves. “We’re terrorists. We don’t accept Western institutions of law. ‘Doh!”

Alas, all ironies must end, either by correction or by dissolution into cliché. And so we learn that Al-Aksa has chosen the former route, issuing an apparent death threat to Baron Cohen. The supreme satirist has been forced to add bodyguards to his list of liabilities.

One man's terrorist is another man's plaintiff--until the group decides to kill for damages.

Technorati Tag: Al-Aksa Brigade and Sacha Baron Cohen and Bruno.