Mohamed Al Fayed's son sparks fury after bizarrely accusing BBC of using 'rape scandal' to distract from Huw Edwards

Mohammed Al Fayed's son caused an uproar when he bizarrely accused the BBC of using the rape allegations against his father to distract from Huw Edwards.

Former Harrods owner Al Fayed is accused of multiple rapes and sexual abuse.

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More than 20 women have already disclosed the abuse they suffered at the hands of Al Fayed, who died last year.

Another 150 victims have since come forward with similar claims, Dean Armstrong KC said yesterday.

But Al Fayed's son Omar bizarrely dismissed the allegations as “completely outrageous,” the Mail reports.

Omar told a friend: “I think the BBC has that in the back of its mind, given all the criticism it has come under.

“I think it's time they used it, just as Huw Edwards is getting off virtually scot-free for his most despicable behaviour.”

Eco-warrior Omar added: “The rape allegations are completely outrageous.”

One of the women sexually abused by Al Fayed sharply criticized Omar’s “repulsive and absurd” conspiracy theory.

She said: “Fayed's horrific abuse was on a massive scale and the BBC deserves enormous praise for exposing it.”

Yesterday, lawyer Armstrong told LBC: “Thirty-seven of them have already signed a contract. Overnight, I'm sure, over 150 more have joined.”

“They have contacted us – we expect there will be more.”

Armstrong strongly condemned the alleged cover-up by Harrods bosses and said the decay went beyond Al Fayed.

He said: “It was the corporation's facilities and resources that were used to effectively facilitate this alleged conduct.”

“This is something that needs to be addressed urgently. There has been a systematic failure of corporate responsibility.”

Armstrong added: “The responsibility for this systematic failure lies with Harrods.”

The lawyer also represents women who work for Al Fayed at the Ritz Hotel in Paris.

Armstrong's team is investigating “all companies in which Al Fayed was involved.”

This includes Fulham Football Club, which Al Fayed owned from 1997 to 2013.

Fulham said: “We are deeply concerned and alarmed by the disturbing reports following yesterday’s documentary.

“We feel sincere sympathy for the women who have shared their experiences.

“We are in the process of clarifying whether anyone in the club is or was affected.”

Sources at Harrods said the company had accepted “vicarious liability” for Al Fayed’s conduct.

Settlements are believed to have been reached with a number of victims since Al Fayed's death in 2023.

Harrods had previously stated that it was “deeply appalled” by the allegations of abuse.

The company said it had set up a page on its website inviting former employees to come forward with allegations.

On Friday, Armstrong said: “This case brings together some of the most horrific elements of the cases of Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.

“Savile, because in this case the institution that we say knew about the conduct.

“Epstein, because there was a procurement system to find the women and girls to abuse. There are some very young victims.”

“Weinstein, because it was a person at the top of the organization who abused his power.”

Armstrong added: “We say it loud and clear: Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster.”

“Weinstein, because it was a person at the top of the organization who abused his power.”

Armstrong added: “We say it loud and clear: Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster.”