BRUSSELS:
The United Nations and European Union on Saturday condemned attacks on Western embassies in Arab and Muslim countries over an anti-Islam movie.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged leaders in Arab and Muslim countries to “call immediately for peace and restraint”.
“I condemn in the strongest terms the attacks against [Western] diplomatic missions in several countries,” she said in a statement.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso earlier condemned Friday’s attacks on the British and German embassies in Khartoum as unacceptable and against “the rules of the civilised world.”
“Nothing justifies these kinds of attacks,” Barroso said, noting that at a meeting with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday, he had equally condemned the attacks on Islam which have sparked widespread protests in the Muslim world.
Ashton said “there can be no justification for such violence,” which has led to several deaths and destruction of property.
“I call on national authorities in all countries concerned to swiftly ensure the security of diplomatic missions and protect diplomatic staff,” the EU’s top diplomat said.
“It is vitally important that leaders across the affected regions should call immediately for peace and restraint, as has already been the case in many countries,” she said.
“I call on all governments and the religious and secular leaders to promote tolerance and dialogue.”
The low-budget controversial movie, “Innocence of Muslims”, which has sparked fury across the Muslim world, portrays Muslims as immoral and gratuitously violent.
UN condemns embassy attacks
The UN Security Council strongly condemned Friday’s attacks on US and other Western embassies and consulates.
“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the series of violent attacks against embassies and consular premises of member states in multiple locations on September 13 and 14,” said the statement read by German Ambassador Peter Wittig, who holds the council’s rotating presidency.
The council statement was made one day after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the “hateful” anti-Islam Internet film that he said was deliberately intended to incite bigotry.
Police question filmmaker
The alleged maker of the provocative anti-Islam movie was briefly taken early Saturday to a California police station for questioning by his probation officer.
Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, voluntarily left his home in the early hours of Saturday morning for the meeting in a sheriff’s station in the Los Angeles suburb of Cerritos, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
Reporters and police camped outside Nakoula’s house in Cerritos outside Los Angeles. He gave an interview to Radio Sawa, a US-government station that broadcasts in Arabic.
“I am the one who leaked the 14 minutes and put it on the Internet and I am thinking about releasing the full film. Nobody manipulated my film,” he said.
According to Paul Audley, president of Film LA, which issues filming permits in Los Angeles, a group called Media for Christ was issued a one-day shooting licence in August 2011 for a film with the working title “Desert Warriors.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2012.
COMMENTS (17)
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@zulfiqar: Actually, insulting things get said against Jesus happen all the time. You just don't hear about it because people in the US don't go on a killing rampage every time our feelings get hurt. I study US Constitutional law, trust me, I'm well-versed in the offensive things that are considered constitutional under the 1st amendment, even at Christianity's expense.
stop anti Islam propaganda in the name of "freedom of speech" what would you do when someone insults "Jesus Christ"
@sam: Mr SAM why you people taking it so lightly, all the US and EU countries are condemning the reaction of Muslims, but i am asking why don't you stop these type of anti Islam propaganda
@antanu
Sounds great except for the fact that the US govt doesn't have a "censor board". Movies in the USA are not censored -- movie producers can have the film rated if they choose but even that board has nothing to do with the US govt. All the information about how they rate movies is readily available on line - suggest you Google it.
i watched the trailer. let me tell you not even Americans can like it. only an idiot can appreciate it. its plain hatred and defame of a person based on religious differences. In today's world nobody would buy this propaganda, not even non muslims.
@antanu: What about Mausa Khan????????????
Right to fre speech is always only against Islam.
My comments are often not posted. If I say that muslims should trust their believe and their god and if they feel that those who made the film had committed a sin, then trust that the God will punish them ... . Dose such thing insults Islam? . If you kill any innocent person, like an American Ambassador or an Embassy Staff, who have are not even remortly connected with the film, I am sure you commit a heinous crime. All effort should be made to bring such culprits and their perpetrators to justice. . . . . . . .
@Qasim. Except for a religious nut in Florida there isn't anybody who has publicly supported this film. On the other hand there isn't a single Muslim leader who has come out and acknowledged that the USA govt has nothing to do with this film and that the protest and violence against the USA is unwarranted.
why do you have this sense of entitlement that others should respect your beliefs when you cannot even respect minorities in your own country?
There hasn't been a single Muslim leader in the World that has stood up and told there followers that the USA govt has nothing to do with the film and shouldn't be blamed for it's content -- not one. It's pathetic and anecdotal evidence that the "leaders" have no back bone to stand up to the religious fanatics.
Those who are protesting, most of them have not watched that video i am sure. There is plenty of hatred stuff on internet uploaded everyday. dont take it too serious.just ignore it. By protesting violently you actually give them so much power to control your life. those who produce this kinds of movies actually are not well respected even in their own countries. they just want money and fame and importance. Best way of protest would be Arabs leaders, who are rich, spend money on a movie and answer the questions presented to muslims in thse kinds of movies.
What about the condemnation of the instigators and hate propagators? This is not the first time that "right of free speech" has been misused to insult Islam and its Holy Prophets. Is that not worthy of strong condemnation by world bodies?