Islamic Preacher Claims Fraud After Appearing in Ashley Madison Hack

British Islamist preacher Hamza Tzortzis has been in the spotlight numerous times for his outlandish preachings in defense of Islamic extremism.

A prominent member of the Islamic Education and Research Academy, Tzortzis excuses beheadings as “painless,” justifies death for those abandoning Islam and strongly advocates in favor of a global caliphate ruled by sharia.

But the preacher returned to the spotlight last month after the Canadian-based dating service for men looking to cheat on their wives, Ashley Madison, was hacked and members’ names revealed. Among those identified was Hamza Tzortzis.

Taking the offensive to defend himself, Tzortzis went on Facebook pleading an “Anthony Weiner defense” to his 92,000 followers.

For those who do not remember, Weiner was the U.S. Congressman who, when caught texting a photo to an unappreciative recipient of a body part of his not normally texted, falsely claimed fraud as he had been hacked.

Tzortzis raised this same defense on Facebook—but his followers do not seem to be buying it. Suggesting fraud was involved, Tzortzis tried to dismiss numerous payments from his bank account to Ashley Madison due to his failing to examine his statements.

When a Facebook blogger registered disbelief the preacher would fail for nine months to notice fraudulent charges to his account amounting to  “hundreds of dollars,” an overly defensive Tzortzis responded, “You’re an idiot…The amount was 15 pounds per month, not hundreds.”

But the blogger was correct—the actual amount charged did translate into hundreds of dollars.

In his continuing “thou doth protest too much” defense, the Islamic preacher added:

My whereabouts and activities, both private and public are traceable and recorded, and there is without any doubt that I have not pursued such immoral acts that the site promotes (this includes permissible acts, for instance the endeavour to find another halal wife [who can also be a non-Muslim] who wanted to be with a married man, which is allowed in Islam). My face is recorded when I enter and leave work, and the gym (the main places I go to). My social and professional meetings are public, and with people that can honestly confirm my presence.

This comment by Tzortzis opened the door for bloggers to look for connections between the preacher’s whereabouts and various account charges. It then led to his being challenged about trips abroad where, it was noted, local Ashley Madison charges were also incurred.

Fighting a losing battle, Tzortzis began removing bloggers’ remarks critical of his reasoning.

Regardless of religion, men of the cloth are held to a high standard of moral behavior reflective of that religion’s values. After all, if they are teaching the ways of the book, then they should make every effort to avoid engaging in any improprieties failing to abide accordingly.

There is but one major world religion in which its holy book and teachings are committed to sharing with followers in this life the sexual rewards awaiting them in the next. As other religions focus on the spirituality of the afterlife, Islam dismisses it, instead promoting the endless sexual pleasures awaiting (primarily) Muslim men.

Prophet Muhammad assured those who fought and died for him they would be rewarded with a sexual Paradise. He and the Islamic scholars who followed him attested to what awaits believers: 72 non-menstruating, non-urinating, non-defecating, full-breasted, beautiful, young, non-child bearing, “eternal” (recycled) virgins who will sing a man’s praises and never be dissatisfied with him.

The appearance of the name of an Islamist like Hamza Tzortzis on the Ashley Madison list raises questions– if proven that he is not the victim of fraud and made the account, he would appear in need of a running head start for the sexual paradise that is to come. The material urges of this world, apparently, have proven to be just too demanding.

Lt. Colonel James G. Zumwalt, USMC (Ret.), is a retired Marine infantry officer who served in the Vietnam war, the U.S. invasion of Panama and the first Gulf war. He is the author of “Bare Feet, Iron Will–Stories from the Other Side of Vietnam’s Battlefields,” “Living the Juche Lie: North Korea’s Kim Dynasty” and “Doomsday: Iran–The Clock is Ticking.” He frequently writes on foreign policy and defense issues.