Almost 22 years ago Ali Akbar Tabatabai, an active outspoken critic of the Islamic government of Iran, was assassinated in front of his home in Bethesda, Maryland by David Theodore Belfield, an assassin hired by the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI).
At the time Mr. Belfield was a student who had recently converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Daoud Salhuddin. Following the murder he fled through Canada and Switzerland to Iran where he has resided ever since.
Just like many other assassins who have brutally murdered hundreds of Iranian opposition activists in exile, Mr. Belfield is also highly respected and rewarded by the Islamic government of Iran and enjoys a very comfortable life in Iran.
Well, guess what, Mr. Belfield is back in the U.S. but not to be prosecuted for his terrorist activities. He is instead to be rewarded by Americans. Yes, a terrorist is being promoted and rewarded as a movie star by the Iranian Islamic government. The same Islamic government that, based on the U.S. State Department report of April 2001, is the most active supporter and promoter of terrorist activities in the world.
Yes, an Islamic Iranian made movie entitled Kandahar, is staring Mr. Belfield and is being distributed in the U.S. How ridiculous. This is another example of hypocrisy in action.
"We are very comfortable that the man who appears in this film is indeed David Belfield," Maryland state attorney for Montgomery County Doug Gansler told ABC News. "He's an assassin and he's a terrorist."
Well, why is this movie being distributed in the United States? Why should we watch this movie and directly support a terrorist and a terrorist supported government? This is not a practice of free speech. This is hypocrisy and direct support for terrorism.
We as Iranians, we as Americans of Iranian heritage, we as proud Americans have to say NO to this movie (Kandahar) and to those who are promoting it. Let the French government and it's Cannes Film Festival reward this movie and its terrorist star. Let those who look for short-term benefits by supporting a terrorist government promote this movie. But let the rest of us stand for the right principles and say NO to this murderer and to its supporting government.
We either say NO to terrorism in every form and shape or we all will suffer from the consequences of our indifference and our lackadaisical attitude.
Mr. Mohsen Makhmabalaf the film's director, denied knowledge of Belfield's past. "I have always chosen my actors from crowded streets and barren deserts," he said. "I never ask those who act in my films what they have done before, nor do I follow what they do after I finish shooting my film."
How ridiculous and how stupid. I guess we will be seeing Mr. Bin Laden and other terrorists and murderers in Mr. Mohsen Makhmabalaf's future movies very soon. Every single movie, book, article, music, etc., that is produced in the Islamic Iran has to go through several stages of checking, rechecking, and major scrutiny by the Islamic government before it can be distributed in Iran or outside of Iran. Mr. Makhmabalaf's statements not only shows his irresponsibility and his lack of professionalism as movie director, it also shows he has no objection toward IRI's terrorist mentality and actions. The least that he could have done as a responsible movie director and producer is to put a stop to this movie distribution and also offer his apologies toward Mr. Tabatabai's family and other families who have suffered from terrorism.
Enough is enough. This is not a matter of having a difference of opinion. This is direct support for a terrorist and a terrorist supporting government. We all need to say NO to a terrorist and we all need to boycott this movie.
Thanks for your support in boycotting this movie (Kandahar) and please also share this message with others.