Hijacker show raises complaint

02 March 2015 - 02:04 By Nivashni Nair
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HERO'S WELCOME: Palestinian activist Leila Khaled got a rousing welcome at the Donaldson Orlando Community Centre in Soweto yesterday. The airline hijacker is viewed by some as a hero, by others as a terrorist
HERO'S WELCOME: Palestinian activist Leila Khaled got a rousing welcome at the Donaldson Orlando Community Centre in Soweto yesterday. The airline hijacker is viewed by some as a hero, by others as a terrorist
Image: IHSAAN HAFFEJEE/ANADOLU AGENCY

A Johannesburg man wants the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA to find that SAfm "sanctioned, promoted and glamorised" violence by interviewing Palestinian activist Leila Khaled last month.

Fayzal Mahamed laid a complaint with the BCCSA against the AM Live show for what he believes were violations of the commission's code of conduct on hate speech.

In his complaint, Mahamed said it was "outrageous" that Khaled, a convicted plane hijacker, was allowed to justify terrorism on the radio station.

In 1969, Khaled was part of a team that hijacked TWA flight 840 on its way from Rome to Athens.

In 1970, she attempted to hijack an El-Al flight, but Israeli sky marshals killed her accomplice and knocked her unconscious.

Khaled was in South Africa last month by invitation of the pro-Palestinian Boycott Divestment Sanctions body with the aim of raising funds for the group.

Mahamed objected that Khaled was allowed to promote hate speech against Americans and Jews.

SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago confirmed the broadcaster had received the complaint against SAfm.

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