Arabs denounce Dutch anti-Islam film

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080329/ap_on_re_mi_ea/arabs_quran_film&printer=1;_ylt=AoM9WjhnzTkmDuJcOL3gJywUewgF

Arabs denounce Dutch anti-Islam film

Sat Mar 29, 7:55 PM ET



Islamic and Arab leaders denounced a Dutch film Saturday that portrays Islam as a ticking time bomb aimed at the West, demanding international laws to prevent insults to religions.

The 15-minute film entitled "Fitna," or "ordeal" in Arabic, by Dutch anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders brought condemnations from Muslim capitals and street protests in Pakistan after it was posted on a Web site Thursday.

The film came on the heels of the republishing in Danish papers of a cartoon of Islam's Prophet Muhammad that Muslims view as insulting.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir called on Muslims at an Arab summit in Damascus to "challenge those who insult" the prophet and proposed "a binding international charter" calling for the respect of religious beliefs.

"The offenses against our Arab and Islamic nations under the banner of freedom of expression are derogatory and defamatory and go against all human values," al-Bashir said.

In Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit called Wilders' film "a humiliation" to Islam.

Wilders said he made the film because "Islam and the Quran are dangers to the preservation of freedom in the Netherlands in the long term, and I have to warn people of that." It shows statements from radical clerics and cites Quranic verses interspersed with images from Sept. 11, 2001, and other terror attacks.

The European Union's 27 foreign ministers said they too objected to the film's depiction of Islam.

"This view is sharply rejected," they said in a joint statement released at the end of a two-day meeting in Slovenia. "The vast majority of Muslims reject extremism and violence."

But unlike the Arab leaders, the European ministers defended the right to freedom of speech and called on Muslims to react peacefully. "Feeling offended is no excuse for aggression or threats," they said.

The Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Conference said the film was intended to fuel hatred of Islam and "incite disturbances, conflicts and to threaten the security and stability of the world."

The organization's secretary-general, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, said at the Damascus summit that the cartoons and the film only increase anti-Islamic sentiments in the West at a critical time. However, he praised the Dutch government for distancing itself from the movie.

Hundreds of Muslims have demonstrated in Pakistan over the film and the country's Foreign Ministry summoned the Dutch ambassador to deliver an official complaint against what it called a "defamatory film which deeply offended the sentiments of Muslims all over the world."
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

Dutch businesses threaten to sue over anti-Islam film

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080329/bs_afp/netherlandsislamfilmpoliticsun&printer=1;_ylt=AnQzJGOOce.mC2w.Foo.lfuoOrgF

Dutch businesses threaten to sue over anti-Islam film

by Gerald de Hemptinne
Sat Mar 29, 5:37 PM ET



Dutch businesses Saturday threatened to sue far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders if his anti-Islam film led to a commercial boycott, as EU foreign ministers and more Muslim countries condemned it.

"I don't know if Wilders is rich, or well-insured, but in the case of a boycott, we would look to see if we could make him bear responsibility," Bernard Wientjes, chairman of the Dutch employers' organisation VNO-NCW, told the newspaper Het Financieel Dagblad.

"A boycott would hurt Dutch exports. Businesses such as Shell, Philips and Unilever are easily identifiable as Dutch companies," he was quoted as saying.

Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad suggested a boycott on Saturday, echoing a similar call by media in Jordan.

"If we boycott Dutch products, they will have to close down their businesses," Mohamad told reporters. "If the world's 1.3 billion Muslims unite and say they won't buy, then it (the boycott) will be effective."

Muslim nations including Malaysia and Singapore have condemned the 17-minute film "Fitna," released on the Internet on Thursday, which links images of extremist attacks to verses from the Koran.

Although there were no mass disturbances in the Netherlands, in Utrecht two cars were set ablaze overnight, with a written slogan calling for the death of Wilders.

Late Friday the British website host pulled "Fitna" from its site www.liveleak.com, citing threats made to staff. It can still be seen on YouTube and other sites.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon led condemnation of the film, calling it "offensively anti-Islamic."

"There is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free speech is not at stake here," he said in a statement.

The Dutch government rejected the film, which appeared two years after violent clashes were sparked by the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in Danish newspapers.

The 27 European Union foreign ministers meeting in Slovenia supported the Netherlands' stance, in a joint statement.

"The film equates Islam with violence and this view is sharply rejected. The vast majority of Muslims reject extremism and violence," they said.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende on Friday warned people not to be beguiled by the film's initially calm reception.

"Sometimes it can take months before the true repercussions are felt," he told journalists.

Outrage over the Mohammed cartoons peaked several months after their initial publication in 2005.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit called the film an "offence to the religion of more than a billion Muslims," echoing condemnation from other Muslim countries and international bodies.

Cairo wants Western countries "to adopt laws which criminalise any offence ... against religious symbols, just like flagrant violations of human rights and forms of racism," he said in a statement.

The government of Afghanistan, where protests broke out against "Fitna," demanded a worldwide ban on the film.

The foreign ministry of mainly Muslim Malaysia attacked Wilders for producing it.

"Portraying Islam as a religion advocating extremism is not only misleading and erroneous but also blatant disregard and utter disrespect for Islam," it said in a statement.

And Singapore's deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng said in a statement: "Freedom of expression does not give anyone the licence to insult another's religion or race."

Wilders, head of the Freedom Party, which has nine seats in the Dutch parliament, denied responsibility for any repercussions. He has called for the Koran to be banned in the Netherlands, calling it "fascist."
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

OIC condemns Fitna "in the strongest terms"

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2008/03/020491print.html

March 29, 2008

OIC condemns Fitna "in the strongest terms"

They say the film defamed and denigrated the Qur'an. Yet when the acts of violence it depicts were justified by their perpetrators by reference to the Qur'an, what did they say then?

"OIC condemns "in the strongest terms" release of anti-Islam film," from the Islamic Republic News Agency:

The Organization of the Islamic Conference added its voice to the growing criticism of a film released by a Dutch lawmaker, which features disturbing images of terrorist acts superimposed over verses from holy Quran.
OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu condemned "in the strongest terms the release of the film 'Fitna' by Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders."

The organization added that the film defamed and denigrated "the Holy Quran, causing insult to the sentiments of more than 1.3 billion Muslims in the world.

"The film was a deliberate act of discrimination against Muslims" that aimed to "provoke unrest and intolerance," the organization said.
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

Qaradawi: "What the Dutch politician did....."

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2008/03/020493print.html

March 29, 2008

Qaradawi: "What the Dutch politician did is tantamount to opening fire on the Qur'an"

Qaradawi yet again indulges in extreme rhetoric that can only mean one thing to all too many of his followers, just as he did last week with Wafa Sultan. "Five Ways to Defend Qur'an: Qaradawi," by Mohammad Sabrah for IslamOnline (thanks to Sr. Soph):

CAIRO — Prominent Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi refuted allegations by a far-right Dutch lawmaker that the Noble Qur'an incites murder and hatred, outlining five ways to stand up to Islam offenders.
"What the Dutch politician did is tantamount to opening fire on the Qur'an," Qaradawi said in exclusive statements to IslamOnline.net.

"Calling the Qur'an a 'fascist book' is a groundless, fabricated allegation that can only come from an ignorant," added the president of the International Union for Muslim Scholars. [...]

Sheikh Qaradawi outlined five ways to respond to insults to Islam and Prophet Muhammad by Wilders and his alike.

"We need scholarly refutations to claims that Prophet Muhammad incited the killing of men and women," he stressed. [...]


That will be tough, given the evidence of the early Muslim sources on Asma bint Marwan, Ka'b bin Ashraf, Abu Afak, the Jews of Khaybar, the Banu Qurayzah Jews, etc. etc.

"Heavyweight Muslim countries should have a manly stance in defense of Islam and its prophet," he added.
"The peoples need to pressure their governments to take such a stand and prove to the world that the Muslim Ummah is still alive."


In other words, strongarm the West into dhimmi silence.

Sheikh Qaradawi also underlined the need for artistic and media responses.
"Movies and TV shows play an important role in clarifying the true image of a much-stereotyped Islam."

Two young Dutchmen, Ersin Kiris and Vincent van der Lem, have already released a counter film on Youtube and MTNL.nl (official website of the Multicultural Television in the Netherlands).

It seeks the borders of freedom of expression and attacks Wilders with his own weapons.

Sheikh Qaradawi said the response is boycotting the products of countries that allow its citizens to bash Islam. [...]

Sheikh Qaradawi, the president of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, regretted that many Muslims project a distorted image of their religion though their wrong understand of the Qur'an.

"We ask them to better understand the Islam's message of peace, mercy and human brotherhood," he added.


Yes, quite a few Misunderstanders of Islam running about, eh, Qaradawi? And do you really think that asking them to better understand Islam is enough?
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

Bakri: Fitna "could be a film by the Mujahideen"

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2008/03/020494print.html


March 29, 2008
Jihadist cleric Omar Bakri: Fitna "could be a film by the Mujahideen"

Preeeeeee-cisely. The formerly UK-based jihadist hits the nail on the head: for all the rage from Muslims about how Fitna "links Islam with violence," that link has already been made by the jihadists, who never aroused any significant rage among their peaceful brethren. The jihadists quote Qur'an to justify their actions -- it wasn't Geert Wilders who had to go hunting in the Qur'an for verses that matched those actions.

Yet in all the furor over the film, from the EU, the UN, the OIC, and everyone else, no one seems to have picked up on that point.

"Muslim reaction to Dutch film is muted," by Michael Steen, Andrew Bounds, and Ferry Biederman in Financial Times (thanks to D):

The imam at Friday prayers in Amsterdam's El Tawheed mosque spoke of "enemies of Islam", but in spite of that clear nod to Geert Wilders, the Dutch anti-immigration politician, and his film, the mood was decidedly relaxed.
"Wilders is laughable, he just wants attention," said Mohamed, a Moroccan welder among the 300 worshippers at the mosque listening to a sermon urging Dutch Muslims not to play into the hands of those who insult their religion by breaking the law. [...]

Across the Arab world, reaction to the film was muted and the subject was largely avoided in Friday sermons. A coalition of Jordanian media organisations said it would sue Mr Wilders and urged the government to review ties with the Netherlands and Denmark.

Iran called the film part of a "vendetta" against Islam. Several hundred people took to the street in Pakistan and the government summoned the Dutch ambassador. Muslim Bangladesh said the film could have "grave consequences", while the Indonesian government called it "racist" and "an insult to Islam", yet called for calm.

Omar Bakri, the Libyan-based radical Muslim cleric who is barred from Britain, did not think the film was very offensive. "On the contrary, if we leave out the first images and the sound of the page being torn, it could be a film by the [Islamist] Mujahideen," he said. [...]
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

Jihadist threat over Fitna

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/2008/03/020499print.html

March 29, 2008

Jihadist threat over Fitna: "If there is no check on the freedom of your words, then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions"




This was just posted at a jihadist website -- and here is a Google translation of that site (thanks to Bill Warner for both).

"If there is no check on the freedom of your words, then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions," with a picture of Osama bin Laden (I gather this is a quote from him), and the World Trade Towers burning in the background.

Threat noted.

Now: Who in the West will respond appropriately? McAuliffe comes to mind.

UPDATE: Rusty Shackleford contends that the quote above refers to the Muhammad cartoons, not to Fitna, although Bill apparently disagrees. In either case, threat noted, robust response needed.
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

U.N.'s Arbour on Fitna

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/2008/03/020495print.html

March 29, 2008

U.N.'s Arbour on Fitna:

"They should offer strong protective measures to all forms of freedom of expression, while at the same time enacting appropriate restrictions, as necessary, to protect the rights of others"

Questions for Ms. Arbour: Is not being offended a human right? Should "appropriate restrictions" target the clear and present danger of possibly having one's feelings hurt? In that event, there will need to be a U.N. court on every elementary school playground. "Louise Arbour condemns the film 'Fitna'," from Kuwait News Agency:

GENEVA, March 28 (KUNA) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said Friday that she joins in the condemnation, as expressed by the Secretary-General and the three UN Special Rapporteurs, of the tone and content of the film 'Fitna' by Dutch Geert Wilders.
Arbour urged all those who understandably feel profoundly offended by its provocative message to restrict themselves to denouncing its hateful content by peaceful means.
"There is a protective legal framework, and the resolution of the controversy that this film will generate should take place within it," she added.
She also urged lawmakers everywhere to discharge their responsibility under Articles 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
"They should offer strong protective measures to all forms of freedom of expression, while at the same time enacting appropriate restrictions, as necessary, to protect the rights of others," Arbour said.
She noted that equally, they should prohibit any advocacy of national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

UN Alliance of Civilizations

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/2008/03/020492print.html

March 29, 2008

UN Alliance of Civilizations: Don't overemphasize extremism -- it will only create extremism

So apparently if we all agree to ignore it, it will go away.

"A call for respect and calm," by Jorge Sampaio, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations:

At the core of this situation is a trend towards extremism in many of our societies. We should indeed beware of overemphasizing it, because extremism anywhere is extremism everywhere, thanks to new media technologies. Few people think of themselves as extremists, but many can be pushed towards an extreme point of view, almost without noticing it, when they feel that the behavior or language of others is extreme.
We therefore deeply regret this offensive film.
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.

Saber Point: How to Download "Fitna" Free and Save

Saber Point: How to Download "Fitna" Free and Save a Copy for Yourself

CLICK HERE
_________________
"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't." -General George S. Patton

Psalm 82-8: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for You inherit all the nations.