Mimicking IS killers? No, just a lark says Rod
Anger as star is forced to apologise over ‘appalling’ Instagram film
Sir rod Stewart has provoked outrage after appearing in a bizarre video in which he appeared to mimic an islamic Statestyle desert execution.
relatives of British citizens murdered by the terror group accused him of having ‘a cheap laugh’ and branded the stunt ‘appalling’.
Last night, the 72-year-old father of eight was forced to apologise, but claimed the video had been ‘misinterpreted’ and was mimicking a scene from fantasy drama series Game of Thrones.
The clip was posted on the instagram social media account of his wife Penny Lancaster. it has since been deleted.
it shows the couple with friends while in the Middle East on his world tour. Sir rod is seen leading a line of friends along the sand dunes. Miss Lancaster, 45, rolls down them and stretches out on the sand. Behind her, her husband appears to put his hand across the neck of a friend, who has sunk to his knees in front of him.
Bethany Haines, the daughter of captured Scots aid worker David Haines, 44, who was beheaded by iS executioner Jihadi John in 2014, condemned the video.
Miss Haines, 19, of Scone, Perth- shire, said: ‘This happened to my dad and it’s not something to joke about. Some celebrities are an absolute disgrace and will do anything for a cheap laugh.’
Writing on social media, she said she once had ‘a lot of respect’ for Sir rod – but added: ‘Now you couldn’t pay me to listen to his music’.
She added: ‘Some celebrities think they can get away with anything because they’re famous.’
Former rAF aircraft engineer Mr Haines’ Croatian widow Dragana said: ‘it is immature and completely irresponsible. The least he can do is apologise to all the families who have lost their loved ones in such a horrible way.’
Mrs Haines, who is fighting breast cancer, added: ‘All we want to do is try to live our lives in as normal a way as possible under the circumstances. Bethany does not need to be reminded of her loss by people who unfortunately find it laughable.’
Sir rod’s actions in the video bear a resemblance to the murders carried out by Jihadi John – whose real name was Mohammed Emwazi.
Among the killer’s other victims were Alan Henning, 47, of Salford, who was also beheaded in 2014 after being captured while part of an aid convoy.
Last night, his family did not wish to comment.
London-born Emwazi, 27, was
‘Completely irresponsible’
briefly the world’s most wanted man before being killed by a drone strike in 2015.
Sir rod is on a world tour and will head to the US next. The video was shot before his show in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
in a statement issued last night, Sir rod said: ‘From re-enacting the Beatles’ Abbey road crossing to spontaneously playing out Game Of Thrones, we were simply larking about pre-show.
‘Understandably, this has been misinterpreted and i send my deepest apologies to those who have been offended.’
Sir rod also courted controversy in 2015, when he posed in a £1,800 sealskin coat outside a shop before a gig in Newfoundland, Canada.
He apologised, claiming he had not checked the material.