# Ibrahim Mousawi

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Lebanese journalist and spokesman for the Islamist group Hezbollah

For other people named Mousawi, see [Musavi (name)](/source/Musavi_(name)).

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**Ibrahim Mousawi** ([Arabic](/source/Arabic_language): إبراهيم الموسوي; also spelled Moussawi or El-Moussaoui, born 1965) is a [Lebanese](/source/Lebanese_people) journalist and spokesman for the [Islamist](/source/Islamism) group [Hezbollah](/source/Hezbollah).

## Biography

He was born in 1965 to a family from [Baalbek](/source/Baalbek) and grew up in the southern suburbs of [Beirut](/source/Beirut).[1] Mousawi is [Shiite](/source/Shiite). He has two BAs in Journalism and [English literature](/source/English_literature) from the [Lebanese University](/source/Lebanese_University) and has worked as a [head master](/source/Head_teacher) at [secondary schools](/source/Secondary_school). Mousawi is editor of the weekly Hezbollah newspaper al-Intiqad (Criticism)[2] in Beirut. He has been quoted as a [Hezbollah](/source/Hezbollah) [spokesman](/source/Spokesman) since at least 1998.[3]

He joined the Hezbollah TV station [Al Manar](/source/Al_Manar) (the Beacon), which does not include Israeli officials in its broadcasts because, according to Mousawi, "It [Israel] is an enemy state," and "Why would you put spokesmen for an enemy state on the air?"[4] He hosted a political talk show and worked as editor-in-chief of foreign news at Al Manar. In an article for the *[Daily Star](/source/Daily_Star_(Lebanon))* in 2002, Mousawi explained the religious basis for [suicide attacks](/source/Suicide_attack) in a *[fatwa](/source/Fatwa)* of [Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah](/source/Mohammad_Hussein_Fadlallah).[5] [Jeffrey Goldberg](/source/Jeffrey_Goldberg) wrote in the *[New Yorker](/source/The_New_Yorker)* magazine that Mousawi had said to him that "Jews are a lesion on the forehead of history."[6] When *Al-Manar* was banned from French [satellite TV](/source/Satellite_TV) for airing a 29-part [Ramadan](/source/Ramadan) special *[Ash-Shatat](/source/Ash-Shatat)* (Diaspora) during October–November 2003, which featured the "[Blood libel against Jews](/source/Blood_libel_against_Jews)" and quoted extensively from the [Protocols of the Elders of Zion](/source/Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion), Mousawi said the ban resulted from "political pressure by the Jewish lobby".[7] He earned his MA in [Political Science](/source/Political_science) from the [American University of Beirut](/source/American_University_of_Beirut) (AUB) in 2003.

Mousawi rose to prominence during the [2006 Lebanon War](/source/2006_Lebanon_War) as a spokesman for Hezbollah. He said that "Pain is the only language that the enemy understands".[8] Following the cessation of hostilities, Mousawi was invited to speak to European audiences in [Ireland](/source/Republic_of_Ireland), [Germany](/source/Germany)[9] and the [UK](/source/United_Kingdom),[10] where he was announced as a Hezbollah spokesman on posters of the [Stop the War Coalition](/source/Stop_the_War_Coalition).[11] Mousawi received a PhD in [Political Islam](/source/Political_Islam) from [Birmingham University](/source/Birmingham_University) in 2007.[12] The title of his dissertation was "Compatibility between Islam and democracy; Shiism and democracy under Wilayat Al-Faqih, Iran as a case study*". He co-authored an article on "*Hizbullah's Jihad Concept"[13] and lectures on Political Science at AUB.[14]

In October 2007, Mousawi was refused entry to Ireland on security grounds following a recommendation from the [Gardaí](/source/Garda_S%C3%ADoch%C3%A1na)[15] and he is also barred from entering the [United States](/source/United_States) because of his links with Hezbollah.[16] The British [Conservative Party](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)) tried to have Mousawi banned from Britain like [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](/source/Yusuf_al-Qaradawi) and [Moshe Feiglin](/source/Moshe_Feiglin) in February 2008, but failed.[17] Mousawi's visit was condemned by Conservative Party Leader [David Cameron](/source/David_Cameron) in the [House of Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom) and by shadow Defence Minister [Baroness Neville-Jones](/source/Pauline_Neville-Jones%2C_Baroness_Neville-Jones), a former chairwoman of the [Joint Intelligence Committee](/source/Joint_Intelligence_Committee_(United_Kingdom)).[18]

In February 2009, Hezbollah publicly appointed Mousawi as its new media relations officer.[19] When Mousawi was announced for a UK visit in March 2009, campaigners from the [Centre for Social Cohesion](/source/Centre_for_Social_Cohesion) pledged to seek an arrest warrant for him.[20] He was banned from the UK in March 2009.[21]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [One mans tussles with the thought police](http://english.hizbollah.org/essaydetails.php?eid=577&cid=214) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080223135930/http://english.hizbollah.org/essaydetails.php?eid=577&cid=214) 2008-02-23 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Kristin Dailey, [Daily Star](/source/Daily_Star_(Lebanon)), 17-12-2007

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Al Intiqad weekly](http://www.alintiqad.com/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** in an interview with Al J. Venter "Middle East Mind Games: Interview With Hezbollah," Soldier Of Fortune, January 1998. p. 63 according to [The Political Warfighter](http://smallwarsjournal.com/documents/swjvol4.pdf) Mr. Erik Evans, *Small Wars Journal*, Feb 2006 - and: [Violence escalates along Israel-Lebanon border](http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/meast/9812/23/lebanon.03/index.html) CNN, December 23, 1998

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [LEBANESE TV STATION MAKES NO DISGUISE OF ITS HATRED FOR ISRAEL](https://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/lebanese-tv-station-makes-no-disguise-its-hatred-israel) By Jon Sawyer, Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau Chief February 10, 2003

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Fadlallah Explains Religious Basis for Suicide Attacks,"](http://www.lebanonwire.com/0206/02060802DS.asp) Daily Star, June 8, 2002

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [In the Party of God - Are terrorists in Lebanon preparing for a larger war?](http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2002/10/14/021014fa_fact4?currentPage=all) Jeffrey Goldberg, The New Yorker on October 14, 2002

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [France offers 'hate TV' reprieve](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3581514.stm) BBC News 20 August 2004

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** A. Hackensberger, "[Israel versteht nur die Sprache der Gewalt](http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/94796.html)", Neues Deutschland, August 3, 2006

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [M100 - Das internationale Medientreffen im Rahmen der Medienwoche Berlin-Brandenburg](http://www.m100potsdam.com/Presse/Pressematerial/Download_2007/M100_2007_Pressemappe.pdf)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] in Potsdam, 7 September 2007

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** i.e. Mousawi in [Belfast in October 2006](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMBsIxPQluU) and at the "World Against War international peace conference" in London, December 2007

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [poster for a public meeting by the Stop the War Coalition](http://www.stopwar.org.uk/images/arabicposter.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110425144706/http://www.stopwar.org.uk/images/arabicposter.pdf) 2011-04-25 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) on February 28, 2008 at Euston Road, London: in English "Editor of Hizbollah newspaper Al-Intiqad", in Arabic "Editor of Magazine "Intiqad" and spokesperson for Hizbullah"

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Prof. Scott Lucas was the examiner of his Ph.D. thesis: [A Tale of (British or Lebanese) Extremism: My Friend "The Radical Propagandist"](http://www.libertas.bham.ac.uk/blogs/watchingamerica/index.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090316042029/http://www.libertas.bham.ac.uk/blogs/watchingamerica/index.htm) 2009-03-16 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) blog *Watching America* by Professor Scott Lucas, March 3, 2008

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Hizbullah’s Jihad Concept](http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/2007/2007-19.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20111028205834/http://moses.creighton.edu/jrs/2007/2007-19.html) 2011-10-28 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) by Hilal Khashan (American University of Beirut) and Ibrahim Mousawi (Birmingham University) in: The Journal of Religion and Society Vol. 9 (2007) ISSN 1522-5658

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [AUB News January 2008](http://wwwlb.aub.edu.lb/~webinfo/localnewsJan08.html)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [Lebanese TV journalist refused visa for anti-war conference](http://www.galwayfirst.ie/content/view/2031/948/)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*] galwayfirst, 14 October 2007

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [London pressed to deny visa to Hizbullah spokesman](http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=99723) By Andrew Wander, Daily Star, February 28, 2009

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Freedom of Information request: [Home Office silent on how Hizbollah man was given entry to UK](http://www.thejc.com/home.aspx?ParentId=m11&SecId=11&AId=59048&ATypeId=1) by Simon Rocker, The Jewish Chronicle 28 March 2008

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** [David Cameron, House of Commons Hansard Debates for 14 Nov 2007](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071114/debtext/71114-0005.htm), [Mr. Amess, Oral Answers House of Commons, Monday 3 December 2007](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071203/text/71203w0008.htm#column_773W), [Lord Strathclyde, House of Lords Hansard text for 19 March 2008](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldhansrd/text/80319-0003.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-medreloff_19-0)** [Hezbollah appoints new media relations officer](http://www.iloubnan.info/politics/actualite/id/31753) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20111006155610/http://www.iloubnan.info/politics/actualite/id/31753) 2011-10-06 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) iloubnan.info - February 04, 2009

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** [Campaigners will seek arrest of Islamic radical](https://web.archive.org/web/20090310162501/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/4953470/Campaigners-will-seek-arrest-of-Islamic-radical.html) By David Barrett, The Telegraph 7 March 2009

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** [""Lebanese newspaper editor to be denied entry to Britain", Press Gazette, 13 March 2009"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120306015325/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=43333&c=1). Archived from [the original](http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=43333&c=1) on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2009.

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States Netherlands Other IdRef Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ibrahim Mousawi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Mousawi) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_Mousawi?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.