WASHINGTON: The US government had nothing to do with a controversial Internet video about the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) that triggered anti-American protests in Egypt, Libya and Yemen, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday.
"The United States government had absolutely nothing to do with this video. We absolutely reject its content and message," she said at the start of talks with senior Moroccan officials.
"To us, to me personally, this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose: to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage."
Meanwhile, the White House deplored the content of the film that denigrates Islam, but maintained that free speech rights of America allow such films to air, the Associated Press reported on Thursday.
White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters Thursday that the Obama administration also condemns the violence in several Islamic countries the film has reportedly triggered. He says the attacks on US facilities in Egypt, Libya and Yemen are totally unjustified and should be squelched by local governments.
The attack in Benghazi, Libya, killed four US diplomats, including the ambassador.
Carney said America has a long tradition of free expression that puzzles some foreigners, who blame the government for not blocking the film from the Internet.
COMMENTS (54)
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@Ali T.: You can say whatever you like about the holocaust in the US. There are no laws restricting free speech in this regard.
And the Muslim response to this supposedly offensive movie ????? Kill anyone, burn buildings and murder people who are no even involved in making movie. Muslims have always justify killing to pacify their easy "prone to offense" sentiments. I am disgusted by Hillary's apology for something where neither she or United States Government was involved. This was an act of an individual and not a state propaganda.
I saw the movie, its indeed very very offensive. Mocking any highly respected person in the name of freedom of expression should be banned. The directors, actors and promoters should be sued.
Freedom of expression was enacted precisely to allow freedom to air "disgusting and reprehensible" opinions and acts. What is reprehensible to some is not so to others and what disgusts some may not disgust others. If you don't like it, don't read it, don't watch it, go back into your cocoon!
Now how about removing the hate material against other religions in your school textbooks to start with. It has increased to about 144 line.
Getting offended by non-muslims films and documentaries doesn't mean that mullahs give sermons to incite hate, and people start beating shopkeepers, burning and pillaging them. Our Government should make a stand take serious action against the makers of this movie in a proper way.
@Raj - USA: I certainly agree with your comments that Pakistan education curriculum contains hatred and offensive contents against Hindus which are totally unacceptable to all Indians. Therefore, Pakistan need to show equal respect for other religions and fulfill its international obligations. I am of the firm view that the Indian PM should not visit Pakistan until it amends its curriculum since it tantamount as an insult to the people of India whose PM is going on a official visit to a country where hatred is taught by the state against Indian citizens.
@Tahir Aziz:
you (at least Pakistan) already did that while deflecting the blame for Mumbai attacks.
Plus Raw is War, and other Indies, put ur opinions somewhere else. i wonder what u want here??
Good riddance. Innocent people get killed, when US invades countries. If it doesn't there are Raymond Davis' and the 'unmistakeable drones'. If that's not sufficient, you could always forment trouble (like Libya and Syria). BTW who says US Ambassador can be "INNOCENT" ????????
Well seriously I don't give a damn to any stupid movie; My Prophet (PBUH) is the greatest man ever lived and no idiot can blemish His sacredness; Period!!
I have no problem with freedom of speech unless it creates problem with my freedom
How come freedom of speech is violated when someone denies or speaks against the Holocaust?
@Raw is War: The movie wasn't made to offend infidels, it was made to offend Muslims, and it has. Blame the makers.
let our sister AAFIA SIDDIQUE should be released and sent to Pakistan on the grounds of freedom of speech and self protection. Mrs. Clinton, we don’t need your double standard. we need you to give respect to our religion and our people in all respects.
@gp65: @Midhat . I said "that you agree the violence was justified" in an earlier post which was a typo. I hope the context made it clear that I meant "that you agree the violence was NOT justified". Sorry about the error.
@Muhammad: I do not beleive that you are a muslim. Your way of comenting is totally showing that you are not muslim at all. Please stop pretending that you are a muslim.
I do not agree of killing innocent people or if one person or group did something wrong then for their wrong doing nobody have a right to kill others innocent people. But that does no mean that we accept everything happening against our religion.
I also do not agree with Hillary Clinton that it is not their fault. They know that Muslim do not like to insult of their religion but these things keep happening in western world and America after 9/11. They made a joke out of it that they can do whatever thay like and everything is allowed. First they provoke muslims and then they say we don't knwo why muslim are angry or anying?.
These things happens with quite a lot of planning not happens just a sudden.
@Cautious: I meet you in a super market, curse you in the worst possible way, insult your wife and kids without touching you and any of your lot. You ignore me and I keep doing it to the point that you start throwing stuff at me.
Who is wrong in this scenario? You?
I am all for freedom of speech but miss-using anything becomes a menace. Whether it is freedom of speech rights in USA or blasphemy law in Pakistan. There is an ethical limit to any freedom and this film, as Dr. Morsi put it, crossed the red line.
Shame on the world who conveniently keeps double standards.
@Midhat: I understand that Clinton is condemning the movie's content and trying to disassociate US as a country from this movie which was produced in US. The movie was unnecessarily offensive and merited the criticism. It is good to know however that no matter how offensive the movie, that you agree the violence was justified.
I was not confused about what Clinton said but was responding to many posters here that seemed to justify the violence. You clearly are not one who justifies the violence. Nor am I supporting the movie. You and I are often not on the same page but it looks like in this case we are.
@gp65:
I have never blamed USA for act of this person and no sane person can justify the murders of innocent Americans for the act of this person and like president Obama said we will catch them and bring them to justice. We have made laws in America that no one can incite or make threat to the air line to protect the passengers and I think we should make laws to protect world peace.
we muslims condemn the act of violence and harm to any innocent person but we do not accept the insult for our Islam and Prophet on the name of freedom or free speech....
@gp65: Muslims Scholors, Arab leaders and all those who can be our representatives have already condemned the Violance as UnIslamic, Unjusttifed and extremely unfortunate. Clinton, Liberals or Muslims who are condemning the movie as provocative and enraging are not justifying the violent behaviour of the Mob but just condemning the act of insulting a billion people as extremeley hateful, irresponsible and provocative. Please dont mix up the two.
@ayesha azeem: I am a muslim and i dont find it offensive. Do i find it cheap and malicious? Yes i do but in no way i feel that i should go and resort to bloodshed and voilence as a result. We muslims are trigger happy and extremely emotional. God is only supportive of those who are patient and those who persevere in the face of hardship and not with those who go and kill innocents just because of their feelings are hurt.
The losers, as usual, in all of this are the muslims and no one else. They have proven again that they are voilent by nature.
People should be able to defend their believes in a civilized manner, I saw this film, contents are all historical facts.
@khan: "Killings of innocent people by suicide bombers or 2000 Muslims burned alive in Gujarat by Hindu mobs does not mean they were the teachings of Bhagwan Geeta or Quran".
SO you rightly do not want Islam to be judged by the actions of the terrorists who did 9/11, 26/11, London bombings and even within your own country have killed 40,000 people besides doing the things Raj talked about. Why then would you judge US for the act of one person who made a film in US.Is it not double standards?
Incidentally 794 Muslims and 250 Hindus died in Gujarat riots that happened over 10 years back and were triggered by Muslims burning a train of Hindu pilgrims.
"The human life is the most scared thing in Islam Allah (SWT) said in Quran if you kill one life it is like you have killed entire humanity and if saved one life you have saved the entire humanity. "
So then do you condemn the killing of the American ambassador? DO you disagree with the other posters who seem to imply that killing random unrelated and innocent Americans would be acceptable because an offensive film was made in USA?
first they do that and then they regret that
this is something people should have learned in kindergarten. if someone uses words to hurt your feelings, remember, they're only words. please keep in mind, you don't need to defend a divine power. your divine power can defend itself
@Yuri Kondratyuk:
@ayesha azeem: A lot of people find a lot more things offensive but, they do not get crazy and go around killing people randomly
bravo! we need more voices of reason.
@ayesha azeem: my friend, and fellow resident of earth -- people are free to offend, and free to be offended. being "offended" is no reason to take a life. (please see "sticks and stones")
@Raj - USA:
What ever you say if it is true it is shameful for any society to inflict such behavior on other human beings it is against the teaching of Islam. Allah (SWT) prohibits Muslims from insulting non Muslim’s Gods and also it is forbidden to kill unarmed soldier during the time of war these are the teaching of Islam. The human life is the most scared thing in Islam Allah (SWT) said in Quran if you kill one life it is like you have killed entire humanity and if saved one life you have saved the entire humanity. Killings of innocent people by suicide bombers or 2000 Muslims burned alive in Gujarat by Hindu mobs does not mean they were the teachings of Bhagwan Geeta or Quran.
@ayesha azeem: I saw a video blog 2-3 days back on ET where LeJ leadership were chanting 'Pakistan me rehna hai to Shia kafir kehna hai'. Do you think the Shias might have found THAT offensive? I did not see them go on any rampaging and murdering drive?
Do you think Ahmadis get offended when every single person getting a Pakistani passport is required to condemn their faith? When their graves are defiled because they put some Quranic verses in them?
@mano: "i saw the clip in youtube……………it is profane,degrading and highly insulting…..only a sick mind will make this type of film…………wonder why the US GOVT IS NOT BANNING IT..In india govt has indicated that it will ban it.
"
So why did YOU see it? Why is it okay for you to see it but it should be banned so others cannot see it?
@ayesha azeem: I can understand you feeling offended. I cannot understand justifying murder using that feeling - that too murder of unrelated Amercians who had nothing to do with this movie. There are a lot of things about our religion in your textbooks which is offensive . If you hear Zaid Hamid speeches also there is a lot that is offensive to us as Indians. So do we go on a rampage and go about killing unrelated Pakistanis? No.
Also I am curious. Why did you see the movie once you knew what it was about? By seeing it did you commit blasphemy? If you did not see the movie, what offends you?
The video 'innocent Muslims' which created all this furor, viewed by us in the Karachi University hostel and laughed at it. Then the news spread through out the University and everybody wanted to see this video.
@anwar: There are people in Pakistani Jails for reciting the Kalima or saying asslamo ailakum - do not lecture others on lesser crimes or not being a fair country until you take a long hard look at the land of the pure
Like to correct an error in my earlier comment. It should be 200 conversions per month and not 200 conversions per day.
i saw the clip in youtube...............it is profane,degrading and highly insulting.....only a sick mind will make this type of film............wonder why the US GOVT IS NOT BANNING IT..In india govt has indicated that it will ban it.
I guess it hasn't dawned on many that Freedom of Speech means you have the ability to say things that others disagree with? If the only things you can say are those that everyone agrees with I guess your not going to say much and clearly nothing meaningful.
@anwar: @khan: Would you care to comment on the hatred preached in Pakistan school text books, both in government and private schools, not just madrassas. Students are taught these every day for over 40 years and is still going on. In fact such hate culture has increased. 9 out of 10 Pakistanis even today want such hate preachings in schools to continue. Is this not blasphemy of other religions and hurting their feelings? I have seen just this week in a Pakistan TV show where one of its hosts express support for such shameful acts.
Also can you comment on the conversion of Hindu girls. After they are kidnapped, raped, converted and married off, these girls are sold off to brothels a few years later. This has been openly claimed by Hindu leaders and no one has countered by providing facts on any of these girls. Hundreds of thousands of such incidences have happened over the last 60 years and at least 200 such instances still happen every day, and yet no one has heard of even one knows of even one girl as to her conditions a few years after her conversion. It is not just the girl, but her entire family has been ruined by such acts. No one has seen or heard or Rinkle after she was converted by the thousands of gun wielding mobs?
This Movie is one rare instance, whereas what is happening in Pakistan is on a daily basis for the last 40 - 50 years.
@Yuri Kondratyuk: As Clinton said "it had a cynical purpose to provoke rage" . The danish cartoons were nothing as compared to this movie yet the world saw how offensive was it to muslims. This movie wasnt meant to cite a different opinion. It was to . Insult 1.6 Billion people - Insult in the most derogatory and offenisive way possible, knowing all too well what reaction it could incite!!. We condemn the killings, extremely unfortuante, unjustified and unIslamic but at the same time to delibrately insult and Provoke a community of billions is highly irresponsible and hateful.
@Yuri Kondratyuk: No, it is not! I can use the argument by saying 9/11 attacks were executed by non-state individuals. How can you then justify the attacks on innocent people of Afghanistan?
@Raw is War: I was hearing commentry in NPR( US Radio Station) and all the commentors which inlcuded Professors etc found the movie to be highly offensive and provocative! Mind you all the Participants were Non-Muslims and had no Political affiliation. You dont have to be a Muslim to condemn what is outright wrong and derogatory! The Movie is being highly critised in Western Liberal circles as well. Too much hate
Nobody in the world would like to see their God and Religion being attacked, but that won't justify the violence being carried out and killing innocent Americans for somebody else's deeds. Kindly watch this video below and please let me know how many Christians went on rampage attacking the LIbyan Embassy when group of Libyan people desecrated the Christian Cross recently some months back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE3u6SGfkj8
@ayesha azeem: A lot of people find a lot more things offensive but, they do not get crazy and go around killing people randomly
@Khan totally agree bro!
@Raw is War: You surely won't find it offensive because you aren't a Muslim,We Muslims does find it OFFENSIVE...
OK, the film was made by non-state actors(and directors). Pakistanis, is that a good enough explanation?
These are the words of The US secretary of state H. Clinton
“The United States government had absolutely nothing to do with this video...........this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose
There are Muslims in US jails for lesser causes that cynical purpose. America is not a fair country anymore and has lost ALL MORAL HIGH GROUND.
There is such a thing as decency.!!! you know He could have been taken in and asked WHY?
freedom of speech is being used to insult and enrage 1.5 billion Muslims intentionally by some people to achieve their personal political goals at cost of endangering the world to the point of war and destruction I think it is time these people should be charged for the murders for people who will loose their life because their incitement.
I saw the movie and could hardly find it offensive.