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Rome. Italian politicians and Muslim leaders have sprung to the defense of Jose Mourinho after reported threats were made against the Inter Milan coach on extremist Web sites.

The British newspaper Daily Star claimed that death threats had been made against Mourinho on some Islamic sites following comments the Portuguese made relating to Ramadan.

Last week, Mourinho explained his early substitution of Ghana’s Muntari Sulley against Bari by saying that the practicing Muslim lacked energy, possibly due to observing the Muslim fast during the month of Ramadan.

The threats made on chat forums came after the president of the Union of Islamic communities and organizations in Italy Mohamed Nour Dachan said Mourinho should talk less.

But Dachan responded to the threats by saying: “We firmly condemn the threats made to the Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho, with whom we want to express our solidarity.”

Claudio D’Amico, a politician for the right-wing Lega Nord, also spoke out in support of Mourinho and hit out at Muslim extremists.

“As usual, there are Muslims who want to apply liberty of expression and democracy in their own fashion,” D’Amico said.

“People cannot even make a simple observation, such as during Ramadan a Muslim who doesn’t eat has less energy, without inciting someone’s wrath. What Mourinho said is not offensive to anyone, especially the Islamic religion, but a simple banal observation.”

D’Amico continued to hit out at Dachan for his earlier comments.

“Maybe Dachan is forgetting that freedom of thought and of expression is a fundamental pillar of our democracy,” he said. “But if he doesn’t share this principle, he can also go and live in a Muslim country with our warmest blessings.”

Mourinho himself, though, hit out at the media for twisting his words and said they were at fault for the threats against him.

“If something happens, it will be your fault,” he told journalists at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday night’s Milan derby.”

“I said, ‘One cannot criticize Muntari’s decision because it is a question of faith and religion,’” Mourinho added. “If someone in the Islamic community is angry with me, it’s your fault.”


Agence France-Presse