Egypt's 'Bible-burner' asks Bassem Youssef to stop making fun of Islamists
Bassem Abo Alabass, Tuesday 25 Dec 2012
Islamist journalist, Abu Islam Abdullah, tells Ahram Online he will fiercely oppose any insults against Muslim clerics by Bassem Youssef, a renowned satirist with a John Stewart-like show


Islamist Abu Islam Abdullah told Ahram Online over the phone on Tuesday that he will stand fiercely against recently-renowned Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef's attempts to insult Islamic sheikhs (preachers).

"I will use the same (satirical) methods he used when I respond to him. I wil make all people laugh at him" Abu Islam explained.

"I am not a preacher; I am a professional journalist and member of the journalists' syndicate since 20 years, so, I will be able to confront him" Abu Islam said.

On Sunday Abu Islam - also known as "the Bible-burner" – retorted with a sharp tongue on his conservative channel Al-Ummah (The Nation) demanding Youssef refrain from anti-Islamic talk in his TV programme Al Bernameg.

"I calmed my angry tone towards Youssef on Monday and I've asked him, again, to stop using slanderous scripts against respectful preachers of Islam" he added.

He described his channel Al-Ummah as one of the best TV channels on the earth and elaborated that it's monthly budget is in the neighbourhood of LE200,000 (roughly $32,000).

Youssef reacted by tweeting cynically Sunday evening to Abu Islam's criticism.

In September Abu Islam faced a charge of burning the Bible during the demonstrations in front of US embassy due to the low-budget movie insulting Islam's prophet Mohamed.

Bassem Youssef rose to fame in the wake of January's uprisings last year, with his satirical take on politicians and Islamists' arguments. He launched a weekly show Al Bernameg (The Programme), a format which was inspired by renowned American television host John Stewart's comedic look at politics, the Daily Show.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/61273.aspx