Penn President Poses with “Suicide Bomber”

The photo below was taken by a student, Saad Saadi, who attended University of Pennsylvania president Amy Gutmann’s Halloween costume party, held at her home, dressed as a suicide bomber. That’s bad enough--ghosts and goblins don’t kill real people. But what was President Gutman thinking when she agreed to pose with him? Would she have allowed anyone dressed as Adolf Hitler, or a Nazi SS officer, to enter or remain in her house?

Penn president Amy Gutmann, at a Halloween costume party at her house on October 31, 2006, poses with a student dressed as a suicide bomber.

The original caption: “On October 31, the actual Halloween day, Amy Gutmann, the UPenn President, hosted a party at her house. Here is a photo of us. I asked her if I can take another photo where I’m pointing my gun at her, but she did now allow it.”

“Shooting” a hostage.

Here’s a photograph of Saadi pretending to shoot a hostage.

“Influencing a future Mujahideen.”

Teach your children well.

Original caption for this one: “Freedom figher and freedom statue pose for a picture.”

For this photo, the original caption: “Another take down...more prayer verses were read.”

Update: The student, Saad Saadi, has posted an apology on his web site (follow the links to “Pictures” and then “Facebook Albums":

My friend, Jason, and I express our condolences and sympathy to all affected by our costumes. We wish to make it clear that we do not support terrorism, violence, or anything that is against society. There is no agenda or statement associated with our behavior shown in these pictures. The costumes are meant to portray scary characters much like many other costumes on Halloween. Additionally, we strive for all societies to instill healthy and non-violent values.

Click on “Videos” and “Four More Years,” if you’re over 18, and you’ll find a vulgar comment on Bush’s victory in ’04.

Update II, Friday night: Saad Saadi has removed the photos from his web site, and along with them his apology.

Winfield Myers is managing editor of the Middle East Forum and director of its Campus Watch project, which reviews and critiques Middle East studies in North American universities. He has taught world history and other topics at the University of Michigan, the University of Georgia, Tulane, and Xavier University of Louisiana. He was previously managing editor of The American Enterprise magazine and CEO of Democracy Project, Inc., which he co-founded. Mr. Myers has served as senior editor and communications director at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and is principal author and editor of a college guide, Choosing the Right College (1998, 2001). He was educated at the University of Georgia, Tulane, and the University of Michigan.
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