A senior academic at a London university posted a gushing eulogy of Hamas “martyr” Yahya Sinwar following the terror chief’s assassination by the IDF last week.
London Metropolitan University said it was “taking this matter very seriously” after Dr Angie Cucchi, a leading psychology lecturer at the university, posted an image displaying a tribute glorifying Sinwar, the mastermind of Hamas’s brutal terrorist acts, on her Instagram account.
The image posted by Cucchi featured Arabic text above a photograph of Sinwar in a green Hamas scarf making a peace sign with his hands.
The text read: “The souls of the martyrs are in heaven, and they are alive and being looked after by their God.”
Cucchi, who heads up the doctorate programme in counselling psychology at London Metropolitan University and works as a psychologist for the National Health Service, has also held teaching roles at St Mary’s University and Regent’s University.
In recent years, she has presented research in Malaysia and Kuwait.
In Kuwait, she argued for adapting psychological models for the Middle East’s cultural background.
She also worked on a clinical trial on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in Iraq.
Dr Angie Cucchi posted this image on Instagram after Sinwar’s assassination. The text reads: “The souls of the martyrs are in heaven, and they are alive and being looked after by their God.” (Photo: Instagram)
In 2022, she published a paper titled “Integrating cognitive behavioural and Islamic principles in Psychology and Psychotherapy.” She said of the work: “This paper originated from the love and respect that I have for the Greater Middle East and its people who I will continue to serve to the best of my abilities.”
Cucchi’s post about Sinwar over the weekend was shared on her private Instagram story, where her professional title and psychology speciality are prominently featured in her profile biography.
The post was reported by one of her followers, alarmed by a university academic openly glorifying a banned terrorist leader.
In response to the JC’s enquiry, London Metropolitan University said they were “taking this matter very seriously.”
“Individual social accounts do not reflect the views of London Met as an institution. We are committed to creating a respectful community,” a spokesperson for the university said.
“Academics’ views are their own, but all staff and students must comply with the university’s policies. Where social media behaviour might have breached university policies, our approach is to investigate the matter and refer to the relevant internal procedures and guidance issued by external agencies.
“London Met stands opposed to antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of discrimination. We have robust policies reflecting this, including our Equality and Diversity policy and Social Media Policy. Our policies take into account our statutory obligation to secure freedom of speech within the law.”
The psychologist regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), said: “We provide clear guidance to our registrants on their use of social media. Any concerns received relating to a registrant will be taken seriously and investigated in line with our Fitness to Practise processes.”
The JC approached Dr Cucchi for comment.
