Republican leader embarrassed by Ali G film says he plans to sue Sacha Baron Cohen: ‘A liar and a pervert’

Exclusive: Michael Aboud, whose actions in what he believed to be a documentary are likely to come under considerable scrutiny, has expressed anger at the film-maker

This article contains spoilers for Ali G: Who Iz I?

The chair of the El Paso County Republican Party has said he intends to sue Sacha Baron Cohen over footage of the local politician used in new satircal comedy Ali G: Who Iz I?

In the film, Michael Aboud is shown taking part in a training programme with another Cohen character, ex-Mossad terrorist expert Col Erran Morad, who instructs Aboud and fellow Maga sympathisers in self-defence techniques including the wearing, over clothes, of protective plastic buttocks. He also schools them in how to fire bullets from the middle of these buttocks by the repeated up and down manipulation of a rubber penis.

Aboud and a fellow student, former preacher and aspirant actor Joshua Loudermilk, are then recruited by Morad to help in a mission to prevent the birth on US soil of the baby of a fictional South American drugs kingpin, who Mossad has confused for Ali G.

This involves Aboud and Loudermilk helping Morad to abduct Ali G’s girlfriend, Julie (played by the actor Morgana Robinson), while she is apparently in the late stages of labour. They drive her in a kebab van disguised as an ambulance to a remote abandoned medical facility where she gives birth (to a lifelike prosthetic).

They then abandon her at the facility while placing her live baby in a zipped bag and driving it towards Mexico. In the final reel, Loudermilk is seen attempting to discharge fire from his fake buttocks, while Aboud takes the decision to drop the baby – then being dangled from a drone at a considerable height – to the ground to prevent it touching US soil. The actions could not be anything other than extremely serious for a real infant.

Until the Guardian contacted Aboud on Tuesday, the businessman was unaware of his participation in anything other than what he believed to be a nonfiction film. In a statement, Aboud called Baron Cohen “and his entire film crew … a bunch of liars [who] deceive people to benefit themselves. They claimed that this would be a documentary about the illegals crossing the border. Then they said they were adding in this self-defence guy from Israel.”

He added: “It is my opinion that Sasha Cohen [sic] is a pervert. Plus he talked about how Muslims are all gay because they follow the sex practices of Mohamid [sic]. No one should spend one penny watching anything he produces or appears in. I plan to sue him.”

Pressed further on whether he stands by his actions in the film, Aboud declined to comment.

The film repeatedly stresses that neither Aboud nor Loudermilk are “in on it”. Loudermilk has not responded to requests for comment, but his social media feed suggests a level of understanding about the project not shared by most of his fellow participants.

Earlier this week, Loudermilk posted on Facebook that “I got to spend 12 hours one on one with Sasha [sic] and he taught me soooo much about the fun of making others laugh” as well as a link to a video promo for the film, saying, “I am in the trailer.” On 10 January, he also posted a headshot of himself, saying: “Howdy. Done with Sasha Cohen movie and ready for more.”