The bad, the evil: Palestinian terrorist academic hails 'martyrdom' U.K. event

Español Home Social:    

Palestinian terrorist academic hails 'martyrdom' U.K. event

British-Palestinian activist Azzam Tamimi reiterated his strong connections to Hamas and his willingness to become a “martyr” at a student event on Tuesday night, which drew controversy due to his advertised appearance.


Tamimi, an academic who lives in London, sparked outrage when he said during a BBC interview in 2004 that sacrificing oneself was a "noble cause," adding that it was "the straight way to pleasing my God and I would do it if I had the opportunity."
"I’d be a martyr for my country, of course," he said. "If you’re not prepared to die for your country then you are not a patriot."


Regarding his connections to Hamas, which is banned in the EU over its status as a terror organization, he said: “I have a great honor to be close to Hamas,” adding that it was only unfortunate that he himself did not have a leadership role within the group.


Having described Hamas chief Khaled Meshal as a close childhood friend, and saying that “all the leaders of Hamas are my friends,” Tamimi added: “I am not ashamed of my association with Hamas. Hamas, in my view, is the true representative of the Palestinian people.”