Security
Italy: Arab writer uses TV to challenge view of terrorism
Rome, 1 Feb. (AKI) - Abdallah Bijad al Oteibi, is a popular character in the world of Arab television. But he has a disturbing past.
For three years he was imprisoned in a Saudi Arabian jail, accused of being a member of a terrorist group, then he joined one of the most important Arab television networks, al Arabiya, the main rival to al-Jazeera.
In Rome to take part in a conference on the West as seen by Arab media, al Oteibi spoke to Adnkronos International (AKI) about his past and the controversial reality show he developed for Arab television.
" I have never been a terrorist, terrorism is different from extremism, terrorism is an extremist ideology that takes actions that damages others, while extremism is only an intransigent ideology," he said.
"I have never committed actions that could damage others, and for a long time I have considered myself an extremist."
Al Oteibi does not even like the term penitent, and prefers to use the term transformation.
"Mine has been a gradual transformation, but deep, really begun during the period of detention”.
Yet al Oteibi has received many death threats since he abandoned his former colleagues and began writing television programmes that fight extremism and terrorism.
"Today I move in total freedom, because I have made the choice to not live as a recluse," he told AKI.
"Living with the anxiety that you can be killed is not life."
The particular show that made al Oteibi famous and upset his former peers is called Irhab Academy, or the academy of terror. It is a parody, an anti-terorrism reality show in which participants instead of learning to sing or dance, learn to make bombs and cut people's throats.
" I think I am among the first to have faced the phenomenon of intransigent Islam politics, of Islam extremists or Islamic extremists in a satirical way," he told AKI.
" I have presented many broadcasts in this way, but without doubt the most controversial is Irhab Academy," he said.
" The idea came to me when I saw many religious leaders attributing the qualities of sanctity, but no one could criticise them or contradict them."
Soon after the first program of Irhab Academy, Majmu'a al fatawa wa al-Takfir, a religious Saudi group called for the death of the television writer accusing him of heresy.
The last program written by al Oteibi also focuses on terrorism. Called Sinaat al mout (The industry of death), it is broadcast on Al Arabiya. It is not a satirical programme but is a serious journalistic inquiry that examines the reasons behind Islamic terrorism.
"Terrorism is a serious event that has confronted everyone," said al Oteibi who directs the Al Mesbar centre in Dubai that specialises in Arab and Islamic terrorism.
For three years he was imprisoned in a Saudi Arabian jail, accused of being a member of a terrorist group, then he joined one of the most important Arab television networks, al Arabiya, the main rival to al-Jazeera.
In Rome to take part in a conference on the West as seen by Arab media, al Oteibi spoke to Adnkronos International (AKI) about his past and the controversial reality show he developed for Arab television.
" I have never been a terrorist, terrorism is different from extremism, terrorism is an extremist ideology that takes actions that damages others, while extremism is only an intransigent ideology," he said.
"I have never committed actions that could damage others, and for a long time I have considered myself an extremist."
Al Oteibi does not even like the term penitent, and prefers to use the term transformation.
"Mine has been a gradual transformation, but deep, really begun during the period of detention”.
Yet al Oteibi has received many death threats since he abandoned his former colleagues and began writing television programmes that fight extremism and terrorism.
"Today I move in total freedom, because I have made the choice to not live as a recluse," he told AKI.
"Living with the anxiety that you can be killed is not life."
The particular show that made al Oteibi famous and upset his former peers is called Irhab Academy, or the academy of terror. It is a parody, an anti-terorrism reality show in which participants instead of learning to sing or dance, learn to make bombs and cut people's throats.
" I think I am among the first to have faced the phenomenon of intransigent Islam politics, of Islam extremists or Islamic extremists in a satirical way," he told AKI.
" I have presented many broadcasts in this way, but without doubt the most controversial is Irhab Academy," he said.
" The idea came to me when I saw many religious leaders attributing the qualities of sanctity, but no one could criticise them or contradict them."
Soon after the first program of Irhab Academy, Majmu'a al fatawa wa al-Takfir, a religious Saudi group called for the death of the television writer accusing him of heresy.
The last program written by al Oteibi also focuses on terrorism. Called Sinaat al mout (The industry of death), it is broadcast on Al Arabiya. It is not a satirical programme but is a serious journalistic inquiry that examines the reasons behind Islamic terrorism.
"Terrorism is a serious event that has confronted everyone," said al Oteibi who directs the Al Mesbar centre in Dubai that specialises in Arab and Islamic terrorism.
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