Bardot anti-Muslim comments draw fire

Bardot has three convictions for inciting racial hatred

Former French film star Brigitte Bardot has drawn fierce criticism for anti-Muslim comments in her latest book.

The book, called A Cry in the Silence, also condemns gays, modern art, politicians and immigrants, saying they have destroyed French culture.

But the 68-year-old actress-turned-animal rights activist - who has three convictions for inciting racial hatred in previous works - reserves special anger for Muslim culture and the ritual of animal sacrifice during the festival of Eid al-Kabir in particular.

"I am against the Islamisation of France. For centuries our forefathers...our fathers gave their lives to chase all successive invaders from France," she writes.

"For 20 years we have submitted to a dangerous and uncontrolled underground infiltration [that] tries to impose its own laws on us."

'Call for racism'

Ms Bardot also praised French far right politician Jean-Marie le Pen for his views, condemned modern gays who "moan about what those ghastly heteros put them through", and said that even French prostitutes were not the same in modern France.

"Our lovely, kind street-walkers have been replaced by girls from the east, Nigerians, travellers, transsexuals, drag-queens, bearers of Aids and other friendly gifts," she writes.

"Having a risk-free go is becoming a real exploit."

In a television interview on Monday, Ms Bardot, who is perhaps best known for the classic 1950s French films And God Created Woman, defended her comments, saying she was not ashamed of her opinions.

But human rights groups the Movement Against Racism And For Friendship Between Peoples (MRAP) and the Human Rights League said they were planning to file a complaint in court.

"This work is unacceptable. It is a real call for racism, discrimination and violence," MRAP President Mouloud Aounit told French news agency AFP.

Ms Bardot was convicted in 1997, 1998 and 2000 for inciting racial hatred in various written articles and comments made in interviews, including a complaint in 1998 over the growing number of mosques in France "while our church-bells fall silent for want of priests".