[Bazf]

From the Independent

Fanatics tell Muslim singer: We'll kill you
Deeyah is forced to hire bodyguards for UK tour after death threats
from religious extremists
By Wersha Bharadwa
Published: 19 February 2006
A Muslim pop singer has been forced to hire bodyguards to protect her
during a visit to Britain next month after she received a string of
death threats from religious extremists.

US-based Deeyah is due in London next month to promote a new single
and video, released tomorrow. But the track "What Will It Be?" has
already outraged hardline Islamists here as it promotes women's
rights.

Her performances with a clutch of male dancers and revealing outfits
have also deeply offended many Muslims. In one scene in her latest
video, the singer drops a burqa covering her body to reveal a bikini.

That has attracted vitriol from some quarters. The 28-year-old singer
claims that in the past she has been spat upon in the street and told
that her family would be in danger if she did not tone down her work.
The situation is now so bad that Deeyah feels she cannot visit
Britain without protection. "I can no longer walk around without
specially assigned bodyguards," she told The Independent on
Sunday. "I would be lying if I said abuse from religious fanatics
didn't upset or scare me."

Deeyah was originally a singer of classical Indian music and lived in
the UK until just over a year ago. But she claims to have been
shocked by the reaction to her shift to pop music accompanied by
raunchy videos.

"I had no plan to court controversy or anger people in my community.
I wanted to make people think and confront my own fears as a Muslim
woman," she said. Soon, though, she was dubbed "the Muslim Madonna".
And then came hate mail and abuse from extremists.

"I have been on the verge of a breakdown. Middle-aged men have spat
at me in the street and I have had people phone me and tell me they
were going to cut me up into pieces. I became this figure of hate
simply because of what I do and wear."

Despite moving to Atlanta last year, a UK-based campaign against her
has continued. Her website has been plagued by aggressive bloggers,
and threatening calls pour in. Despite this, Deeyah, who was born in
Norway of Iranian and Pakistani parentage, remains keen to return to
Britain. "I miss London," she said, adding that she wanted to inspire
British Muslim women.

"I receive letters and emails from women saying I am doing a good
job. Putting my life at risk no longer bothers me. That so many
women - Muslim women included - are abused by people of their own religion "