Drunk Swedes ejected from Egypt for mocking Islam
Published: 5th May 2006 10:35 CET

Three Swedish men have been thrown out of Egypt for mocking Islam, it has been reported.The three Swedes, together with two Norwegians, allegedly shaved their heads and dressed as Muslim pilgrims. They then went to the square in the town of Hurghada, where they walked around a statue chanting the Muslim prayer, "Oh Allah, we obey you," Aftonbladet reports. They then started taking off their clothes, an act that local media reported provoked uproar among local people. Police then stepped in to arrest the men."If they hadn't been arrested they would probably have been lynched," Islamic expert Jan Hjärpe told Aftonbladet.Svenska Dagbladet said the men were very drunk and on their way to a toga party.Local prosecutors initially said the men would be charged with mocking religion, a serious crime in Egypt. However, they later decided to release the men, who were immediately put on a plane out of the country, Dagens Nyheter quoted a Swedish foreign ministry spokesman as saying.

James Savage