'Bruno' Turns Sacha Baron Cohen Into Potential Terrorist Target

Terrorist group furious at Sacha Baron Cohen for unwanted role in "Bruno."

ByABC News
July 15, 2009, 5:06 PM

July 16, 2009— -- Watch your back, Sacha Baron Cohen.

A Palestinian group that the U.S. State Department has on its terrorist list reportedly has the comedian in its sights after he featured the organization in his current film "Bruno," in which he plays an openly gay Austrian television host.

"We reserve the right to respond in the way we find suitable against this man (Cohen)," the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said in a statement released to WorldNetDaily.com, an independent news Web site.

"It might be a threat, it might not be," Aaron Klein, the WorldNet reporter who broke the story, told ABCNews.com. "Every terrorist threat should be taken seriously."

It's not clear what, if anything, Cohen or Universal Pictures, which released the film, is doing in response to Al Aqsa's statement. Both declined to comment when contacted by ABCNews.com.

But it's not the first time Cohen has taken heat for one of his characters. A woman who claims she was hurt during the filming of Bruno is suing him while an Austrian official encouraged a boycott of the film. For his previous film, "Borat," Cohen was sued by numerous people unhappy with the way they were depicted.

Klein said Al Aqsa, a militant group classified by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist organization loyal to the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party, claims to have disbanded over the last two years but maintains a Web site, continues to take responsibility for terrorist attacks and has released several official statements including threats against Israel.

According to Klein, who is based in Jerusalem and has covered terrorists since 2005 and wrote the book, "Schmoozing with Terrorists," Al Aqsa is furious for being included in a film which deals with homosexuality.

"These are terrorists who are fundamentalist Islamists," he said. "They are offended by Hollywood in general," he said. "They are against feminism, gay rights and abortion."

"Once I asked them what would they do if found out one of their members was a homosexual," Klein added. "They said they would cut off his head. That's what they think of that issue."