Muslims upset over Sarko Ramadan hoax

PRESIDENT Sarkozy has been the subject of an internet hoax saying French Muslims should still enjoy their morning coffee and croissant during Ramadan – which was carried as a true story by several Arab media outlets.

A Moroccan satirical blogger “quoted” Mr Sarkozy as saying, “the French Muslim is French before being Muslim. So, the old French traditional breakfast of a coffee and croissant should not be forbidden.”

However, several Arab media groups picked up on the story, thinking it was real and, in Morocco, one paper had it on the front page.

The Arab version of CNN ran the story – leading to other news groups and websites picking it up as having been “broadcast by CNN”. Middle East TV chain Al-Arabya also broadcast the story.

In Egypt, the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood condemned Sarkozy for an “attack on the Muslim faith” and called on scholars and leaders of Muslim countries to oppose Sarkozy for his attack on the freedom of religion.

The original blog, written at the beginning of the month, had already done the tour of satirical websites before it was picked up as a real news story.

Aimed at highlighting the problems of Sarkozy’s relations with Muslims in France, it also had the president saying “My fellow citizens, we share the French language and the French Muslim, like their fellow countrymen, should read the sacred Koran in French. I call on all the French imams to read the Koran and to pray in French so that Islam can become a French religion.”

Photo: Medef