By Bridget Johnson, your guide to Journalism

Egyptian-born Magdi Allam — deputy editor of Corriere della Sera newspaper, and a nonpracticing Muslim married to a Catholic — became a Catholic himself at Vatican Easter services, being baptized by Pope Benedict XVI himself. Allam is widely known as a staunch supporter of Israel, which seems to be a focal point of coverage today. More from the Associated Press:

“Allam, 55, told the newspaper Il Giornale in a December interview that his criticism of Palestinian suicide bombing provoked threats on his life in 2003, prompting the Italian government to provide him with a sizable security detail.


The Union of Islamic Communities in Italy — which Allam has frequently criticized as having links to Hamas — said the baptism was his own decision.


‘He is an adult, free to make his personal choice,’ the Apcom news agency quoted the group’s spokesman, Issedin El Zir, as saying.


Yahya Pallavicini, vice president of Coreis, the Islamic religious community in Italy, said he respected Allam’s choice but said he was ‘perplexed’ by the symbolic and high-profile way in which he chose to convert.


‘If Allam truly was compelled by a strong spiritual inspiration, perhaps it would have been better to do it delicately, maybe with a priest from Viterbo where he lives,’ the ANSA news agency quoted Pallavicini as saying.”

There’s a deeper story in this: Earlier this week, Osama bin Laden accused Benedict of leading a new crusade against Muslims from home plate at the Vatican, a charge which the Holy See denies. Osama linked his accusations to the republishing of Mohammed caricatures in Denmark, but his group’s anger at Benedict goes back to his quoting 14th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologos’ opinions on Islam in an academic lecture. That prompted protests and even death threats against the pope.

I wouldn’t be surprised if enemies the pope has had since that moment spin the Easter baptism of Allam into the pope trying to purposely humiliate the Muslim community in the wake of Osama’s crusade conspiracy theory, or if some will take it as simply justification of Osama’s accusations.

(ABOVE: Magdi Allam, left, leaves after receiving a blessing from Pope Benedict XVI after being baptized while the Pope celebrates Easter Vigil mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica on Saturday in Vatican City. The Pope baptized seven converts including the former Muslim during the annual mass the night before Easter Sunday. Photo by Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images)