Death fatwas in 3. . . 2. . . 1.

CAIRO (AFP) — Egyptian tycoon and politician Naguib Sawiris has come under fire for posting a picture of Mickey and Minnie Mouse in Islamic dress, sparking a torrent of condemnation on social networking sites.

Several lawyers have filed complaints to the public prosecutor accusing Sawiris of “insulting Islam”, a judicial source said, with calls on Facebook and Twitter to boycott his Mobinil telephone operator.

The magnate, a Christian, had posted a picture on his Twitter account of Disney character Mickey Mouse wearing a traditional Arabic robe and sporting a thick beard, next to a Minnie Mouse donning a niqab, or full face veil.

The posting prompted a flood of comments slamming Sawiris — who founded the liberal Free Egyptians party after an uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak in February — accusing him of disrespect.

Sawiris has since apologised on his Twitter page, saying: “I apologise for any who don’t take this as a joke, I just thought it was a funny picture no disrespect meant! Assef!! (sorry)”.