Satire in Video on Islam Upsets

September 11, 2007

Author: Melissa Ludwig

Source: Express-News

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/religion/stories/MYSA091107.1B.muslim.video.341300f.html

What began as an attempt to educate students about Islam has turned into a fiasco for the University of Texas at San Antonio's Muslim Student Association, causing a stir on campus and becoming hot fodder for bloggers, who have accused the association of harassing women and Jews at the university.

The student group invited an amateur filmmaker named SaadImam to campus to make a series of videos designed to educate students about Islam. In the process, however, he made a video of his own — one that implies that Jews perpetrated the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

The video, which first appeared on YouTube about a week ago but has since been removed, features SaadImam asking a Jewish student what he believes is the Jews' greatest accomplishment in America. Before the student can answer, SaadImam repeats "9-11" several times, drawing a puzzled look from the student. SaadImam now says that segment was meant as a joke.

Called "The Missing Hijab 2 & the Jew," the clip also features an antagonistic interview with a female Muslim student about her choice not to wear a hijab, or head scarf. In the video, SaadImam says he is helping out the Muslim Student Association.

Yusif Mohammad, president of the Muslim Student Association, however, said he knew nothing about the video until he was alerted to it by Barry McKinney, the university's student activities director, on Friday.