Anjem Choudary, a radical Muslim British cleric, exchanged in a fiery back-and-forth with Newmax TV’s Steve Malzberg, asking first if the host was Jewish and then claiming that the terrorist attacks in Paris were provoked by the government of France.
“It was provoked,” Mr. Choudary said during an interview on “The Steve Malzberg Show” reported by Newsmax. “The French regime, for years, has been provoking the Muslims. They banned the burka. You can’t build a mosque now in Paris.”
Mr. Choudary — who recently penned an opinion piece in USA Today that included his belief that “Muslims do not believe in the concept of freedom of expression” — then suggested that the news outlet that was targeted for the attacks, Charlie Hebdo, had it coming.
“It’s open season when it comes to attacking Islam and Muslims, and this particular magazine for years have been satirizing under the guise of satirizing,” he said, Newsmax reported. “This is a euphemism for attacking the honor of the messenger Mohammad. … The French embassies around the world knew an attack was coming because the prophet said whoever insults the prophet, kill him. It was an inevitable response.”
Mr. Choudary then criticized America and Israel.
“The Americans, the Israelis, are the biggest terrorists,” he said, Newsmax reported. “They kill more people than these people in Paris. Come on, let’s talk about state terrors, Let’s talk about the crimes of Israel over the last 60-70 years.
SEE ALSO: Anjem Choudary, British radical cleric: ‘Muslims do not believe’ in freedom of speech
The interview kicked off with Mr. Choudary pressing Mr. Malzberg to clarify whether he was Jewish, Newsmax reported. Why?
“It just makes me understand the reality of the people that I’m dealing with,” Mr. Choudary said, in answer to Mr. Malzberg’s question about why he wanted to know that information.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.