Udo Ulfkotte and Fecal Jihad: Asymmetric Warfare or Crazy Conspiracy Theory?
Russell Blackford recently wrote a piece on Islamophobia that was reproduced by Richard Dawkins, in which he said,
“attacks on Islam..made opportunistically..cannot be dismissed out of hand as worthless.”
We responded on Twitter by saying that most attacks can be dismissed as worthless. Exhibit A: Conspiracy Theories.
Now here is a perfect example, from one Dr. Udo Ulfkotte, who thinks the recent E.coli outbreak in Germany is linked to Muslim immigrants’ importation of “fecal jihad.” After this, I don’t know who could compete for “the craziest conspiracy theory of the year award.” (hat tip: Sphinx and Jake)
Ulfkotte: Turkish women’s poor hygiene to blame for E.coli/EHEC outbreak
The writer and “Islam expert” Dr. Udo Ulfkotte has made a nice career for himself in Germany by spreading hate and fear against Muslims. In a recent interview he fantasized about all the “living space” (Lebensraum) ethnic Germans could have if only they could conduct forced deportation of all the Turkish and Arab people living in Germany. No matter that nearly all of Dr. Ulfkotte’s hateful diatribes are based on lies: he is a much sought-after guest for TV talk shows and discussion panels.
But even Dr. Ulfkotte may have outdone himself with his mostrecent piece on the right-wing Truther site of Kopp Verlag(with thanks to Politblogger). Germany is facing a health crisis due to vegetables tainted with E.coli. Naturally, Udo Ulfkotte seizes the opportunity for yet another attack on immigrants from Turkey:
Im »Erdbeerland« in Pottenstein und auf mindestens zehn weiteren Erdbeerplantagen erfand man den Hosenzwang, weil Türkinnen, die dort saisonal gearbeitet hatten, bei der Arbeit auf die Erdbeeren uriniert und zwischen den Pflanzen auch noch andere »größere Geschäfte« verrichtet hatten. … Bestimmte Migranten haben eben völlig andere Vorstellungen von Hygiene und der Einhaltung von Hygiene-Richtlinien als wir Europäer.
(In the “strawberry region” in Pottenstein (Austria) and on at least ten other strawberry farms workers are required to wear pants because Turkish women who were working there seasonally were urinating on the strawberries and even defecating among the plants….Certain migrants have a completely different concepts of hygiene than we Europeans.)
Dr. Ulfkotte goes on to describe a “fecal Jihad” being waged by Muslims against Europeans.
Thus far, there is zero evidence that the E.coli outbreak has any connection with strawberries, much less strawberries from Austria. Authorities believe rather that cucumbers from Spain may be to blame. But don’t look for a retraction or an apology from Dr. Udo Ulfkotte. He has never once retracted any of the numerous lies he’s published at Kopp Verlag or elsewhere.
Again, Ulfkotte is free to publish whatever he wishes, even if it’s mostly lies. What concerns me is that he is viewed by the German media as an “expert” and frequently appears on German television. They are lending to this fraud credibility he in no way deserves.

The absurdity of such Islamophobic conspiracy theories are as bad Arab conspiracy theories about Jews and Israel. Disgusting, vile, vulgar. Please keep up exposing these despicable people for what they are and do to the detriment of CIVIL SOCIETY.
5 July 2011 at 10:30 am