BBC apologizes after its presenter called a Muslim gesture an «ISIS salute»

BBC presenter and documentary filmmaker Stacey Dooley has been under fire after calling a Muslim gesture an «ISIS salute». British public service broadcaster apologized for the scene that was part of a documentary broadcast, Monday, the Independent reports.

The documentary entitled «Meet the IS Brides» shows Dooley visiting camps in northern Syria and meeting with women who joined ISIS. But while visiting one of these camps, Dooley commented on a woman who was raising her index fingers in the air, saying that the gesture is an «ISIS salute».

The scene, dubbed offensive, was removed by BBC, which wrote that it «apologizes for this error».

«While Isis have attempted to adopt this for their own propaganda purposes, for accuracy we should have been clear that many people of Muslim faith use this gesture to signify the oneness of Allah», BBC spokesperson added.

Commenting on what happened, Tell MAMA, which measures anti-Muslim incidents in the United Kingdom, said that «what happened here is insulting and offensive to Muslims and journalists».

«To reduce such a fundamental and important concept to a mere ‘Isis salute’ is grossly wrong, ignorant and damaging», the social media watchdog added.