Anti-Islam film bounty: Bilour, wife banned from entering US

Railways minister says he is not worried about his entry into US or UK, ban on Makkah, Medina entry would worry him.

PESHAWAR: In a reaction over the  bounty placed on the head of the producer of the movie ‘Innocence of Muslims’, the US embassy in Islamabad has cancelled the visas of Federal Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and his wife, and banned him from visiting the United States in the future. 

Earlier in September, Bilour had announced a $100,000 bounty and invited members of the Taliban and al Qaeda to take part in the ‘noble deed’, adding that given the chance he would kill the filmmaker with his own hands.

“I have received a call from the embassy today, informing me about the ban and cancellation of visas,” Bilour told the Express Tribune while defending his bounty statement and emphasizing the need of an international law which would make such profane acts a punishable crime across the world.

“I am not worried whether the US or UK restrict my entry into their countries; I would only be worried if I was banned on visiting Makkah and Medina but thanks God this didn't happen” he said.

The Spokesperson of the US Embassy in Islamabad refused to comment on the issue.

“It’s against privacy laws of the United States to disclose such details,” said the spokesperson.

The railways minister said in a press conference last week, “When leaders of religious political parties who do politics in the name of Islam and those who kill people in the name of our religion fail to come up with a firm response against the blasphemous movie; the love for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in my heart moves me to place the bounty on the blasphemer’s head.”

The profane film sparked violent protests across the Muslim world including Pakistan, where several people died during protests in addition to vandalism of public and private property.