Notorious French Comedian Arrested for Glorifying Terrorism

Controversial French comic Dieudonné M’bala M’bala has been detained for writing on Facebook that he sympathized with one of the gunmen who was behind last week’s deadly terrorist attacks in Paris.

MOSCOW, January 14 (Sputnik) — Dieudonné was arrested after prosecutors opened a case against him on Monday, a judicial source said, according to Britain’s newspaper The Guardian.

The comedian is accused of writing on his Facebook account, "Tonight, as far as I’m concerned, I feel like Charlie Coulibaly", a word play that combines the widespread "I am Charlie" vigil slogan and the name of one of the three gunmen.

On Sunday, over 1.5 million people took to the streets in Paris, with many holding "I am Charlie" signs to pay tribute to the killing of Charlie Hebdo journalists, policemen and kosher supermarket hostages by Islamic State gunmen last week.

Dieudonné’s shows have repeatedly been banned by  French authorities, who have slammed them as "anti-Semitic".

In particular, Dieudonné faced accusations of anti-Semitism after he mocked the killing of US reporter James Foley by militants from the Islamic State group.

In 2013, the notorious comedian made international headlines after English football authorities banned French footballer Nicolas Anelka for using an anti-Semitic gesture, thought to be created by Dieudonné.