The alleged "terrorist" who was interviewed in Bruno thinks Sacha Baron Cohen is full of it.
Ayman Abu Aita claims he was interviewed by Cohen under false pretenses and misrepresented as a 'terrorist group leader from Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.' He is threatening to sue.
He says he was told that Cohen's film would help the Palestinian cause, and that he had no clue about the film's gay content.
When he was on the Letterman show Baron Cohen told the story of how he met Aita and his bodyguard at an undisclosed location in the West Bank:
Cohen: "I thought I needed security. It was in the West Bank. The guy picks this secret location. ... The terrorist comes in with his bodyguard."
According to Aita this version-of-events is "made up stories." He says that in fact they met in a popular restaurant called Everest in Beit Jala, located in an area of the West Bank that is under Israeli control.
Aita says the "bodyguard" is a guy named Sammy Awad, the American manager of the Holy Land Trust. Contrary to Cohen's suggestions, Aita denies that he was in possession of any weapon and pointed out that in any case Palestinians are forbidden from carrying weapons in Beit Jala.
According to wnd.com and other sources Aita was involved with Al Aqsa between 2000 and 2003 and did jail time after being accused of taking part in an operation against Israeli soldiers in Bethlehem. There is also word from Israeli sources that he helped in the safe return of two Israeli reserve soldiers who got lost in the Bethlehem area.
Bruno's "terrorist" is reportedly a representative of Abbas' Fatah Party to the town of Beit Sahor - a satellite of Bethlehem. He is also a board member of the Holy Land Trust that promotes Palestinian rights through non-violent initiatives.
Ayman Abu Aita is seeking legal representation to press his case.
Mathew Labov, Cohen's publicist, says the actor has no comment on Aita's claims. Universal Pictures, responsible for the release of the movie, likewise has no comment.
Video of the Bruno interview with Abu Aita - here.
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Ayman Abu Aita claims he was interviewed by Cohen under false pretenses and misrepresented as a 'terrorist group leader from Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.' He is threatening to sue.
He says he was told that Cohen's film would help the Palestinian cause, and that he had no clue about the film's gay content.
When he was on the Letterman show Baron Cohen told the story of how he met Aita and his bodyguard at an undisclosed location in the West Bank:
Cohen: "I thought I needed security. It was in the West Bank. The guy picks this secret location. ... The terrorist comes in with his bodyguard."
According to Aita this version-of-events is "made up stories." He says that in fact they met in a popular restaurant called Everest in Beit Jala, located in an area of the West Bank that is under Israeli control.
Aita says the "bodyguard" is a guy named Sammy Awad, the American manager of the Holy Land Trust. Contrary to Cohen's suggestions, Aita denies that he was in possession of any weapon and pointed out that in any case Palestinians are forbidden from carrying weapons in Beit Jala.
According to wnd.com and other sources Aita was involved with Al Aqsa between 2000 and 2003 and did jail time after being accused of taking part in an operation against Israeli soldiers in Bethlehem. There is also word from Israeli sources that he helped in the safe return of two Israeli reserve soldiers who got lost in the Bethlehem area.
Bruno's "terrorist" is reportedly a representative of Abbas' Fatah Party to the town of Beit Sahor - a satellite of Bethlehem. He is also a board member of the Holy Land Trust that promotes Palestinian rights through non-violent initiatives.
Ayman Abu Aita is seeking legal representation to press his case.
Mathew Labov, Cohen's publicist, says the actor has no comment on Aita's claims. Universal Pictures, responsible for the release of the movie, likewise has no comment.
Video of the Bruno interview with Abu Aita - here.
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