A STUDENT has denied being a fantasist after the University of Edinburgh said he is not being investigated for "mocking Isis".
Robbie Travers, the law student and right-wing commentator has been at the centre of a backlash after the university spoke out over the row.
The pro-Trump student claimed he was "accused of Islamophobia because [he] mocked ISIS", and this was the basis of a university investigation being launched.
"Afraid I've been a little more quiet as I've been accused of Islamophobia because I mocked ISIS, and I'm being investigated on such a ground by my University," wrote Travers. "Mocking ISIS allegedly made Islamic and minority students feel 'threatened' and 'unsafe' so goes the complainant's ramblings."
In a separate post, Travers said he was also being investigated for criticising the hijab, burkha, and niqab, saying they were associated with "toxic branches of Islam which use it to further a modesty culture that targets women who don't conform", and for praising Theresa May for not wearing a hijab in a visit to Saudi Arabia.
It was claimed one complaint came in retaliation after he highlighted that a former leader of an ethnic minority student group at the university had referred to black men as “trash”.
Coverage of the university investigation alleged that the complaint against the 21-year-old third-year student was over a “jovial” reference on Facebook to Daesh fighters getting “72 Virgins” after the Americans dropped a bomb on an ISIS stronghold in Afghanistan in April. Following the air attack in April Mr Travers wrote: 'I'm glad we could bring these barbarians a step closer to collecting their 72 virgins'.
His comments sparked a complaint from one fellow student who accused him of 'blatant Islamaphobia'.
The history student claimed Mr Travers 'put minority students at risk and in a state of panic' and breached the student code of conduct with his comments.
Mr Travers said the investigation had also involved "lying about anti-semitism" and "radicalisation amongst BME (black and minority ethnic) students.
As his story spread across the world, the university, concerned about its reputation, has said that Travers was actually being investigated for a breach of the student code of conduct, and not for mocking Isis. They also said there were multiple complaints.
A spokesman said: “The University of Edinburgh is fully committed to upholding the rights of its students and staff to freedom of expression within the law.
“It has not and would not consider bringing charges of misconduct against any student for mocking Isis.
“However, the university also requires students to act within its code of student conduct and in accordance with its aims of providing an environment in which all members of the university community treat each other with dignity and respect.
“The university can confirm allegations have been received from other students that Mr Travers breached the code of student conduct, and the students concerned have provided a range of supporting evidence. The university has appointed a member of staff to investigate these allegations and establish whether the evidence, in its totality, supports the allegations. This investigation is ongoing and the investigator has not yet reached a final conclusion.
“The university regrets that an internal student conduct matter is being played out in the public arena, as this risks being harmful to all the students involved as well as damaging the integrity of the investigation.”
Travers has since stood by his story, amidst a backlash, where he was described by one poster as a "megalomaniac and a narcissist" who was "trying to get publicity for himself". To which he said the evidence was there.
And when on social media he was accused of "some really spectacular Walter Mitty crap", he replied: "No". Travers has said his "legal team" stood by the assertion he was under investigation for mocking ISIS, among "a range of other bizarre, unevidenced" claims.
He said he had made not made any claims about any individual student "beyond noting complaints were made that I view to be in retaliation to my expose of racism".
He added:"You know what irritated me the most about being investigated for 'blatant Islamophobia' because I welcomed the fact that US forces are helping Islamic State barbarians...
"The biggest victims of IS are indisputably the Muslims who have been beheaded, homes burned, families raped and sold into slavery, and that ordinary, peaceful Muslims would even be compared to IS is the greatest injustice here."
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