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BROTHER MARK GLENN’S ADVICE
ABOUT ANTI MUHAMMAD MOVIE
Anti-Islam movie, West’s conspiracy against Muslim world:
Analyst
Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:15PM GMT
Interview with Mark Glenn, from the Crescent and Cross
Solidarity Movement
So the notion that this is a conspiracy source, absolutely this [yes]. It was done to inflame the Islamic world so as to further propagandize the West into making war against the Middle Eastern countries."
Outrage and anti-US sentiment are growing across the Muslim
world over the controversial movie that insults Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Anti-US demonstrations, which began on September 11 over the anti-Islam film, have been held across the Muslim world, with protesters storming US embassies and torching US flags.
Over a dozen people have already been killed in protests since the release of the film.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Mark Glenn, from the Crescent and Cross Solidarity Movement, to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Glenn, protests are gaining momentum around the world and more and more people are coming to this belief that this move, this insulting movie, was more likely to be a deliberate act of conspiracy.
Glenn: Yes, I think that is exactly what it was and I think that the people responsible for putting this together, their reasons for doing it are self-evident. They want the world to witness these uprisings and these protests taking place as a means of defaming Islam and painting the Muslims as violent, irrational people.
You know (blipped) … is saying this that the Christian in the West because it is not my religion that has been attacked in this per se but when I would counsel those in these, [all I want to do] is to take a step back and to understand that what they are doing by participating in these things is that they are giving their enemies all of the ammunition that they need in order to take Islam as a violent, irrational religion followed by violent irrational people and all of this being on a course in order to justify the military brutality that has taken place in the past, that is taking place now and will take place in the future if these evil doers are given a free hand to do it.
So the notion that this is a conspiracy source, absolutely
this [yes]. It was done to inflame the Islamic world so as to further
propagandize the West into making war against the Middle Eastern countries.
Press TV: So what you are saying is that actually this was a conspiracy for Muslims to play in the hands of their enemies. Well, there are questions also surrounding the timing of the insulting movie, its coincidence with 9/11 and the US elections is also a month to go there.
Glenn: Yes, absolutely. You know, in 11 years since 9/11, there have been no terrorist attacks in the United States. And so the American people are beginning to ask questions: Why are we still at war? Why are young people so being set off to fight in these theatres such as Iraq and Afghanistan? You know, Osama bin Laden is dead; there have been no terrorist attacks; we are going bankrupt fighting these wars. Perhaps it is time to bring our troops home and to go back to peace and prosperity.
And so these organized pro-war interests, Zionist interest, organized
Jewish interest-- whatever you want to call them-- they have to from
time to time remind the American people why they are going bankrupt fighting
these wars and why they should continue to go bankrupt fighting these wars and
so that is exactly what this entire stunt in making this movie was all about,
was to bring the American people back to the morning of 9/11 of 2001 and also
in order to set
the stage for further military action, unfortunately, against your own country
of Iran.
I think that this entire debacle that is taking place that the main bull’s-eye in this thing, I mean the big agenda here that is being pushed is to prepare the mind of the American people so that they will sign on to increase military adventures against Iran.
AHK/MSK/JR
P.S. Many lives were lost uselessly after Jewish
sponsored renegade Salman Rushdie released his SATANIC VERSES attacking
Muhammad and Muslims and blaspheming Islam!
For outraging Muslims around the world and causing the deaths of many,
Salman Rushdie was knighted by the Freemasonic and Druidic German Squatter
Queen of B’rit’ain! B’rit in “Hebrew”
means Covenant or Contract and the B’rit’ish monarchs retrace their roots to
King David, the Lion of Judah and the Jewish Qabbalah. (BAFS)
THE UGLY TRUTH (MARK GLENN)
“As The War Drums Beat”
Merlin Miller, President–Americana Pictures
I contemplate my recent trip to
the Islamic Republic of Iran and ask myself who wants war between
America and Iran. I quickly surmise that it is not the American people,
nor the Iranian people, but globalists (international bankers and their
multinational beneficiaries). They control Israel, the American media
and most of our politicians…and by extension our foreign policy.
My journey to this exotic and
little understood land began with an invitation to “New Horizon – The
First International Independent Filmmakers Festival”. It was a
conference and festival held in Tehran from September 2nd through
September 7th. Filmmakers and intellectuals from around the world
attended. It was one of the most stimulating experiences that I have
ever had and an effective bridge between diverse cultures and
perspectives – with the purpose of promoting truth, justice, liberty,
and peace.
This initiative was undertaken,
not by America or other world leaders, but by a country unfairly
besieged with sanctions and threats of war. My observations were in
stark contrast to the perceptions of most Americans. What I experienced
was a devout country with a love of God, family, and nation – and an
uncompromising respect for the noblest of human endeavors.
As I write this, a giant,
beautiful book, Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, lies next to me. Khayyam’s
wonderful poems have survived the test of time and are a testament to
the normally peaceful spirit of the Persian people. This treasure was
given to me by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Inside its back cover, he
inscribed the following for me (transcribed from Farsi):
In the name of God who loves human beings.
My dear brother:
I, you, we and all of us are pursuing truth and happiness for human beings, which is unfortunately a victim of world powers.
This is a historical opportunity to undermine all inhuman relations and put an end to prejudices, which have questioned the truths and separates them, to build a new beautiful world based on love, justice and beauty.
This is a historical and certainly achievable objective. It only needs our hands, minds and hearts to join each other.
I pray Great God to bless you, who love humanity and wish success for all. I hope to meet you in a better future.
(signed)
M. Ahmadinejad
September 8, 2012
M. Ahmadinejad
September 8, 2012
I found President Ahmadinejad to
be a humble man with a firm handshake and intense, intelligent eyes.
Despite his courteous and dignified bearing, he has been regularly
berated, and routinely misrepresented, by a controlled western media. Is
their demonization justified, or has he been targeted as the lone
political figure standing against Zionist powers? This is my attempt to
represent truths, such that the world might have a better understanding
of Iran, its people, and its leadership.
The Iranian people are similar to
Europeans in appearance…a beautiful people, poised and kind. Their
women wear clothing which modestly cover them, but in elegant fashion
and with serene faces that are usually exposed. They return smiles and
are not treated as second class citizens, as we have been conditioned to
believe. In fact, they outnumber men in higher education enrollments.
There is no profanity and women are safe on any Tehran street – at any
time of day or night. The influences of western civilization have not
been totally removed, but the Iranians resist the decadence of
cultural-Marxism. I attribute this largely to their faith and love of
family. I was surprised to discover that the Islamic faith actually
honors Jesus and Christianity. However, through Zionist media control,
policy dictates, and other manipulations, the Christian world is
incessantly convinced that Muslims should be our enemies and that we
should be theirs.
Muslims look with jaundiced eye
upon the outrageous media lies and perpetual assaults on their faith and
culture. Hollywood’s promotion of twisted films can provoke extremist
reactions, and we are then led to believe that Muslims are all radicals.
We never question the bizarre promotion of these divisive, Zionist
inspired productions, or the actions of multinational interests in the
internal affairs of sovereign Islamic nations. Were we to look honestly
at the many false portrayals, we would see remarkable similarities to
how our Christian communities have also been assaulted – increasingly
with contempt and disrespect by these same Zionist and Cultural Marxist
propagandists. They seek a globalist new world order – devoid of the
diversity and freedoms associated with independent nation states.
As I wandered from the festival
grounds to meet people on the streets, I found them to be most helpful
and without animosity – despite my obvious American nationality. I
enjoyed their exotic food and came to appreciate the craftsmanship of
their products. The only negative sensation that I had was in witnessing
the mad house traffic situation in Tehran. A city of 15 million, it has
grown faster that it’s infrastructure. Despite this, the city is
thriving with new construction and beautiful parks and monuments – which
reflect a noble and accomplished people. The Iranians seemingly love
Americans, but are rightly concerned and critical of our irrational and
invasive government policies. The common response seems to be “why would
your country want to attack us?”
The current condemnation of Iran
is supposedly due to the possibility that they may develop nuclear
weapons. We should all work for a world free from nuclear threat, but
the sovereignty of nations must also be respected. Iran is signatory to
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has opened their facilities for
inspection, declaring their interest is for energy development only. No
evidence to the contrary has been shown, and Iran’s Supreme Leader, the
Ayatollah Khamenei condemns nuclear weaponry – actually declaring a
“Fatwa” against them – as it is contrary to their nation’s faith.
However, Israel, their chief accuser (and architect behind the campaign
to falsely accuse Iraq of possessing “weapons of mass destruction”), is
believed to possess over 300 nuclear weapons. Israel is not signatory to
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has no intention of sharing
information or opening their facilities for inspection – yet America
continues to march to their fanatical war drums against others. Why is
there no pressure on Israel to meet the same standards and why are we
imposing “sanctions” against a nation that has done us no wrong? It is a
preliminary act of war, and only imposed because Israeli lobbies demand
it of our lap-dog politicians, who incredibly serve Zionist interests
rather than the American people.
Iran is a strategic rival for
regional hegemony in the resource rich middle-east and has stood strong
for Islamic unity. They also courageously and most justifiably call for
an end to the Palestinian occupation – the ruthless suppression of an
enslaved people, largely funded by America. There is no greater
injustice than that being perpetrated against the Palestinian people.
World condemnation, through the United Nations is consistently blocked
by U.S. actions on the Security Council. As a result, the Non Aligned
Nations Movement (NAM) is growing as an alternative to the UN. Its
recent success is not generally reported in Western media, but 120
nations came together in Tehran the week before the New Horizon Film
Festival – in unity and in opposition to the evils of the Israeli
occupation of Palestine. The Secretary General of the United Nations
even attended, as well as observers from Russia and China. The
Palestinian occupation and Israeli aggressions (including “false flag”
operations against other nations) are at the root of the discontents for
Zionism.
As President Ahmadinejad gave me
copy of Khayyam’s works, I gave him copy of my western motion picture,
“Jericho”, and my political book, “Our Vision for America”. When I asked
him what messages I might convey to the American people, he indicated
“truths” and “Iran’s desire for peace”. Through lies and evil acts,
Globalists and Zionists falsely portray Iran, as they seek conflict
between nations. I later told him that our State Department should be
meeting with Iran’s leaders and not depending on the initiatives of
private citizens, like me. However, I hope that he and the Iranian
people take hope in the prospect that many patriotic Americans are
awakening to the evils that have consumed us, even while our politicians
continue to betray the otherwise good spirit and traditions of the
American people. Growing numbers seek answers that might save America
and truly promote world peace.
Americans do not want war, and
are beginning to realize that our politicians, of both major parties,
initiate these actions against the wishes of the American people – and
in accord with the intrigues of international bankers and their Zionist
agents. It is time we stopped them by creating alternatives in politics,
and in media. Iran sees the need and is taking appropriate initiatives,
and so should America.
I went to Iran to promote the
prospects for producing “False Flag”, a critically important motion
picture. I returned to America more committed than ever to produce this
political thriller and, through commercial entertainment, help awaken a
sleeping America. Vital truths must be revealed so that new evils are
not perpetrated against the people of America and Iran, with destructive
effects resonating throughout the world. I also return committed to
building a viable third party, which will represent traditional working
class Americans, rather than perpetuating a corrupt two party system,
which serves special global interests. God willing, my answer to the
courageous efforts of President Ahmadinejad is “I also hope to meet you
in a better future”.
Merlin Miller is a West Point
graduate, US Army veteran, engineer, writer, filmmaker
(www.Americana-Pictures.com) and 2012 Presidential candidate
(www.MerlinMiller2012.com)
THE
PERPETRATORS OF 9/11 MURDERED 4 MILLION
INNOCENT MUSLIMS !
I have not known British pharmacists to be independant or free to sell
anything they want. They can sell only producst that the Jewish and
other pharmaceutical barons provide them with - apart from some current
items like chocolate, chewing gum, napies, tooth paste, soap, combs,
etc.
KEVIN is right! I have read in a Playboy magazine in the seventies that Admiral Elmo Zumwalt categorically said that he would DISOBEY any order that goes AGAINST HIS CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE!
BAFS
KEVIN is right! I have read in a Playboy magazine in the seventies that Admiral Elmo Zumwalt categorically said that he would DISOBEY any order that goes AGAINST HIS CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE!
BAFS
I hope the Isreali people do something to rein him in before Isreal is destroyed….forever!
This is one truth that has always been kept away from the public: THAT ISLAM FORBIDS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION!
Beautiful article and a rare gem!
BAFS
VERITATIS SPLENDOR
1993
CHAPTER I – “TEACHER, WHAT GOOD MUST I DO…? ” (Mt 19:16)
– Christ and the answer to the question about morality
“Someone came to him…” (Mt 19:16)
6. The dialogue of Jesus with the rich young man, related in the nineteenth chapter of Saint Matthew’s Gospel, can serve as a useful guide for listening once more in a lively and direct way to his moral teaching: “Then someone came to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. ‘He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said,
‘You shall not murder;
You shall not commit adultery;
You shall not steal;
You shall not bear false witness;
Honour your father and mother; also,
You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these; what do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him,
‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me’ ”
(Mt 19:16-21).13
BAFS:
Note that in the very First Commandment (God’s, not Jesus’s!) the Pope has changed the word KILL into that of MURDER, which is the correct translation as made by the “Hebrews” or today’s JEWS. For nearly 2,000 years Rome had preached the wrong religion.
Now, Catholics are allowed TO KILL, but not MURDER! So, KILLING Arabs, Muslims, Palestinians and other defenceless nations on earth amounts just to KILLING which is no more stressed as before!
This position of Rome is in contradiction with Saint Paul’s teachings who got rid of the Mosaic Law, nailing it to the Cross! And, by that one magical stroke, the Pope has also got rid of the doctrine of TURN THE OTHER CHEEK, which was a fallacy anyway!
Until Christians do not start thinking BY THEMSELVES and not stop listening blindly to Churches and Popes, they will never be obeying God’s Commandments!
Thank God, in Islam, we do not need Churches or Popes to tell humankind what to believe or not and what to do or not.
But, after Council Vatican II, Rome and the Churches worldwide sold out to Zionism and the International Jewish Mafia!
BAFS
20 September 2012
“Thank God, in Islam, we do not need Churches or Popes to tell humankind what to believe or not and what to do or not.”
SATAN: But, can’t you see, you fool, that even when Muslims know EXACTLY what to believe and what to do, they still believe in and do the wrong things, EXACTLY the way I want things to be done! I have got them all EXACTLY where I want, those stupid Godly Christians and Godly Muslims, those hypocrites and money-loving fake Believers, those cowards and treacherous Paradise lovers?
BAFS: Unfortunately, I do see what you mean, O Master of this wretched world! But, let’s see what your adversary God has in store for His own Creation, the Good, the Evil and the Ugly! Isn’t it strange that you the Devil should obey God faithfully by doing the maximum of evil on earth and mislead His creation whereas Believers in God would disobey Him to such an extent that they now face total annihilation?
SATAN: So, tell me, you Earthling, WHO IS THE BEST OF PLANNERS, God or Me! Who is greater, God or me?
BAFS: Are you serious, O Master of this world? Do you want me to blaspheme? But, as you say, they well deserve their fate, don’t they? All our good and saintly people are being murdered one by one and we keep drinking Coca-Cola, watching television, football, and sing to the tune of the Kosher Nostra! Whole nations of nice people that were never contaminated by the diabolical West have now completey disapperared.
SATAN: This is nothing, just wait and see!
BAFS: Well, I will wait no more as my time is almost up and I leave it to our progeny if there will be any left with good health, a free mind and humanity in their heart.
BAFS
Thursday 20th of September 2012
Actress in anti-Muslim movie sues for its removal online; sues filmmaker for fraud
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On page 3 of the same issue, we see the photographs of the editor of Hara-Kiri Georges Bernier aka “Professor Shoron” and of three naked women holding their legs up and showing their genitals wide open with a caption saying they were “authentic” Bosnian women with banners attached to their legs saying:
Bon appétit with the French Jewish Marxist porn!
P.S. THIS IS WESTERN CIVILISATION!
Competitors in Brazil's Miss Bum Bum pageant wait to record a TV program in Osasco, a surburb of Sao Paulo, on September 24. Brazil's upcoming municipal elections are being overshadowed by the online contest, which seeks to find the cutest female behind
New French cartoons inflame prophet film tensions
THE UGLY TRUTH (MARK GLENN)
Egypt Issues Arrest Warrants for Terry Jones and Anti-Islam Filmmaker
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Anti-Islam Film: Seventeen Killed in Pakistan
:: Pakistan
Tens of thousands protested around the country after the government encouraged peaceful protests and declared a national holiday - "Love for the Prophet Day".
But demonstrations turned violent as police and protesters clashed in several Pakistani cities – including Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. Five people were killed in Peshawar and 12 in Karachi.
One of the dead was identified as Mohammad Amir, a driver for a Pakistani television station, who was killed after police opened fire on rioters torching a cinema in Peshawar.
The United States has paid for adverts on Pakistani television which show US President Barack Obama and US Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton denouncing the film.
But the president has also suggested Islamist extremists are manipulating the protests for their own ends.
"What we do know is that the natural protests that arose because of the outrage of the video was used as an excuse by extremists to see if they could directly harm US interests," he said.
:: France
Meanwhile, security has been tightened in France after a satirical magazine published drawings featuring the Prophet Mohammed naked.
French authorities declared street protests had been banned and interior minister Manuel Valls said there would be a crackdown if the ban was challenged.
"There will be strictly no exceptions. Demonstrations will be banned and broken up," he said.
Charlie Hebdo magazine has said the cartoons were merely designed to satirise the international furore over the film, and the pictures have yet to cause public disorder in France.
But French embassies, schools and cultural centres have been shut in 20 Muslim countries, on orders from French authorities, and the magazine's offices have been put under police guard.
Mohammed Moussaoui, leader of the French Muslim Council, described both the film and the cartoons as "acts of aggression". But he appealed to French Muslims not to take to the streets to protest.
:: Germany
Several hundred people gathered in the city of Freiburg in southwest of Germany to protest the film. Police banned inflammatory slogans.
Some carried banners saying: "The dignity of the Prophet Muhammad is our dignity."
The Interior Ministry postponed a poster campaign aimed at countering radical Islam among young people due to tensions caused by the US-made video.
Posters for the campaign - in German, Turkish and Arabic - were meant to go on display in German cities with large immigrant populations on Friday, but are being withheld because of the changed security situation.
:: Iraq
About 3,000 people, mostly followers of Iranian-backed Shiite Muslim groups, protested against the film and French cartoons in Basra.
Demonstrators carried Iraqi flags and posters of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, chanting "death to America" and "no to America."
:: United Kingdom
Some 100 people gathered near the Bullring in Birmingham on Friday afternoon, although the motive of the protest is unclear. No violence has been reported.
:: Bangladesh
About 10,000 Bangladeshis took to the streets of Dhaka, outside the country's National Mosque, shouting slogans and carrying placards.
A mock coffin of President Obama was burnt and a mock execution was held of the creator of the film Innocence Of Muslims.
The protesters also set fire to a French flag as they carried placards stating "Obama, you are a cheater!" and "Protest the disgrace of Prophet Muhammed!"
About 90% of Bangladesh's 153 million people are Muslims.
:: Sri Lanka
In the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, up to 2,000 Muslims were reported to have burnt effigies of Mr Obama
One of the protest organisers, Mujibur Rahman, said Muslims in Sri Lanka "have come to the streets today to join with Muslims all over the world" to protest against the film's insults to Islam and Prophet Mohammed.
He threatened to continue protests if the "US fails to ban this film and arrest its creators".
:: North Africa
Tunisian authorities banned all demonstrations on Friday and in the Libyan city of Benghazi, where US ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed last week, but protests were being planned.
Lebanese Muslims, Sunnis and Shiites took part in protests in the southern port city of Sidon, where Sunni clerics called "a day of rage" against insults to the Prophet Mohammed but urged followers to contain their anger to inside the mosques.
:: Lebanon
Thousands gathered in the Bekaa valley for the latest in a series of protest rallies organised by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. Protesters carried the yellow Hezbollah flag.
:: Malaysia
About 3,000 Muslims marched on the US embassy, burning an American flag topped with the Jewish Star of David.
Although there was no violence, angry demonstrators declared their willingness to sacrifice their lives to defend the honour of the Prophet Mohammed and warned "there will be consequences" over the film.
"We will not allow the prophet to be insulted. We are willing to sacrifice our lives and property," said Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, an official with the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which spearheaded the march.
:: Indonesia
Indonesians staged anti-French and anti-American protests in the capital Jakarta. Protesters gathered outside US and French embassies, which were closed on the Muslim holy day amid fears of violence.
Demonstrators targeted American fast food outlets, and there were minor scuffles with police.
In Medan, North Sumatra province, dozens of protesters from the hardline Islamic Defenders Front burnt an American flag outside the US consulate.
:: Afganistan
About 900 people have gathered for a protest against the film in the capital, Kabul, chanting "death to America" and burning an effigy of President Barack Obama and an American flag.
A few hundred demonstrators also protested inside a mosque in the eastern city of Ghazni. The protests were peaceful.
“Basheer so true, this along with the firing of the generals are good moves by Egypt.”
DEAR MJ
Salaam
Thanks for the observation.
As you know I have been spending quite some time interviewing and speaking to Satan himself, and I enjoy doing it, but this woman is worse than Satan. Miss Leigh Sales has hate written on her face and every word she utters is full of lies, hate, disinformation and venom.
Of course, Brother Mustafa is not a “preacher of hate”, and Miss Leigh knows this very well as she has gone through the ‘pain’ to find out whether he was preaching hate or not. Strangely enough, she should have known this was not true, but by some kind of (Jewish) miracle all she found was one fake website, most probably set up by MOSSAD, Jews or Zionists, with totally fabricated statements that Brother Mustafa confirms are not from Hizb ut Tahrir, and which she almost defiantly ‘handed over’ to him as HER evidence. And, she really did not seem concerned in the least that she was wrong, or caught up using disinformation live, when Brother Mustafa said “this does not look like our website”. Her main concern was exclusively about Jews and Israel.
“ERADICATING ISRAEL AND PURIFYING THE EARTH OF JEWISH FILTHS”. That is certainly hateful, isn’t it?
This is all she could come up with as evidence, a fake website! She does not give a damn about Muslims, about their suffering, about them being exterminated by the millions, starved, persecuted, exiled, tortured, demonised, and raped, and so on.
“DO YOU THIK THAT JEWS SHOULD BE ERADICATED?” This is all she is interested in, and she even condones the slaughter the West and the Jews (like Bernard Henri Lévi, Nicolas Sarkozy, Laurent Fabius…) carried out in Libya because she argues Colonel Ghaddafi committed the capital crime of “not doing a great job for its citizens”!
On the good side, Brother Mustafa managed to say without being interrupted (which shows that Miss Leigh is not that vicious!) what Hizb ut Tahrir and I have been saying for decades now, that WE NEED TO ESTABALISH A KHILAAFAH AND SHARI’A LAW IN OUR OWN MUSLIM LANDS!
Miss Leigh proves that she is just another stooge for Israel and the Jews or Jewish interest by trying to insinuate that Br Mustafa was condoning the killing of the US ambassador. Her logic stinks.
After admitting that she heard Br Mustafa say on a Youtube video: “American ambassadors should not be in Muslim countries. They should leave and go home.”, which he confirms, she asks Br Mustafa if he was saying THEREFORE THAT THE US AMBASSADOR WAS ASKING FOR IT BECAUSE HE WAS THERE, which, of course, he was not saying!
Lastly, our brave Miss Leigh seemed so concerned about a child carrying a sign saying:
“BEHEAD ALL THOSE WHO INSULT PROPHET MUHAMMAD!”
But, she shows no concern at all about all the Muslims that the West is beheading, bombing, killing, holocausting, on a daily basis.
But, I bet if Brother Mustafa would explain himself and Hizb ut Tahrir policy independently, no mainstream media would air it at all, including her.
Yet, on the whole, we have to give the she-devil her due, as she allowed Brother Mustapha to say what he wanted to say and toned down her aggressiveness near the end. So, she is not that bad after all, and may even make a good Muslimah, insha’Allah!
I am glad to see our Brother Mustafa keeping his calm. I would not have been able to. But, my initial remark (which I have removed) was that our Brother Mustafa was a blooming idiot for exposing himself and Muslims to ridicule like our Br Dr Tariq Ramadan does so often. This nonsense about “peaceful protest” by calling for street picnics where the innocent gets injured and even killed should stop! Sixteen got killed today FOR NOTHING in Pakistan!
Why not PEACEFUL BOYCOTT INSTEAD?
I went shopping to buy wholemeal sliced bread several times, but each time I found it had E471 in its ingredients, which is en anzyme obtained either from pork (cheaper to make) or beef. So, I did not buy it. Out of all the drinks they sell in the shops, I buy only juices pressed from fruits and with no artificial junk like aspartame. I try to avoid meat as much as possible because meat is a killer and eat as ‘natural’ as possible although I have not far to go in life. My grand daughters want me to live longer and I pray to God to give me health to be able to take care of them as long as possible! I do not waste food or money and do not buy junk like most City Muslims do! So, protesting is picnic (in my view) while boycotting hurts the usurious Jews and the war mongers EXACTLY where it should! Now, it is useless to protest when we support Muslim governments that are members of the Zionist United Nations Dictatorship! We will not be able to establish the Khilaafah as long as we bow down to UN dictates!
Without the Khilaafah, Islam will remain in the gutter and Muslims will continue to be exterminated!
Thanks again.
Salaam.
Basheer
PAK DEFENCE UNIT
Blasphemy or freedom of speech
Muslims have been protesting against the movie, at some places protests are staged in a peaceful way while in most states these have turned violent, such as the killing of American diplomats in Libya and the burning of public and private property and loss of innocent lives in Pakistan. This is not the first time when blasphemous act has been committed against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), there has been a chain of events, at first books were written to defame the Prophat Muhammad (PBUH), then caricatures were drawn in Denmark and other European newspapers and now a malicious attempt has been made to produce a sacrilegious movie. This movie has followed by publication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Frenchmagazine Charlie Hebdo that have added fuel to anti-Western sentiments in Muslims.
In the post 9/11 era the wrong image of Islam has been portrayed in the Western societies and it is considered as a threat to Western civilization. New terminologies are being introduced that are being associated with Islam such as radicalization, extremism, fundamentalism, Islamic terrorism and Islamophobia. People like Sam Bacile are representing the so-called Islamophobia, the filmmaker has deliberated focused on fermenting violence. Filmmakers should have anticipated that it will create unrest and violence in Muslim societies because for the Muslims, love for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has been considered as part of the faith. Veneration of all prophets of Allah is a fundamental principle of faith in Islam. If we see what has been the reaction of Muslim states it becomes obvious that Muslim masses are protesting against blasphemy of their religion but their leaders are silent. They have not raised a collective voice. Unfortunately, there is lack of will on the part of Muslim leaders to project a common cause.
Criminalizing the defamation of religion has been on the agenda of OIC for some time but it could not get support from the western liberal democracies. At present, Turkey is heading the OIC, but it is not yet clear that organization has consulted with its members to bring a resolution to ban blasphemy. OIC member states must get agreed on a common agenda that UN should declare blasphemy as a criminal offence and should present their case from a unitary platform so that it could have a forceful effect. If denial of holocaust has been prohibited by law in majority of Western states to respect the sensitivities of 13 million Jewish population then why indifferent laws and practices against over 1.5 billion Muslim population?
It is our right to protest against such attacks on our religion but the protest should be staged in a peaceful manner. Our Prophet (PBUH) stood for peace in his whole life. If we resort to violent means and destruction of our own property then we may not be able to highlight the noble cause to which each one of us is duty bound to raise our voice. Western notion of freedom of speech and expression can not be accepted in its current form. There should be a clear distinction between what constitutes free speech and what will be considered as hate speech against any religion. Turkish Prime Minister has rightly said that free speech comes with boundaries, “Freedom of thought and belief ends where the freedom of thought and belief of others starts”.
UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon referring to anti-Islam movie has also made it clear that the right of freedom of expression to provoke or humiliate some others’ values and beliefs can not be protected, it can only be guaranteed and protected as a fundamental right when it is used for common justice, and common purpose. To promote interfaith harmony, it is the duty of Western governments to take this issue seriously and to come up with some proposals that could address the discriminatory law of freedom of expression and could differentiate between freedom of speech and blasphemy.
Insults, incitement and Islam
Across the Muslim World there is rightly outrage and hurt at the latest calculated attack on Islam, in the form of the film trailer Innocence of Muslims. All who hold human rights and moral decency close to their heart share their indignation.Freedom of speech is a basic human right, protected under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states 1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. And 2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression. Rights enshrined in law that are nevertheless denied to many, rights supposedly honoured in democratic countries.
Expressions of free speech that are little more than propaganda, that consciously incite hatred and spark acts of violence are rightly restricted under the very law that protects our freedom of expression. Article 20, paragraph 2. Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.
Innocence of Muslims
The deliberately amateurish film with no real narrative portrays the Prophet Mohammed as a violent and lascivious fool. It is cheaply made, poorly acted and directed, and as a piece of filmmaking it is to be dismissed out of hand, but as The Guardian 17/09/2012 put it “the really sinister thing is that all this ham-fistedness and crassness is an important sense deliberate. It has to look like propaganda for the provocation to be effective.” The actors claim they did not know what the film was about, or it’s purpose and some speak of suing the producers. The BBC reports, “One actress featured in the film said she had no idea it would be used for anti-Islamic propaganda and condemned it.” Offensive dialogue that insults Islam and the Prophet Mohammed has been crudely added after filming.
The trailer was written and produced in the USA by Nakoula Basseley, a Coptic (Egyptian) Christian living in California, who drafted much of the script whilst serving a prison sentence for fraud. And directed, according to Gawker “by a 65-year-old schlock director named Alan Roberts …. He’s the creative vision behind soft-core porn classics like The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood.” Whether a full film version exists is speculation, the trailer however has done its toxic, destructive work.
Basseley says his wife’s family paid for the film, but it is still unclear how it was funded or what the cost was. Whatever the amount, it is hard to justify any expense at all on a film rooted in such prejudice and hatred, which serves no purpose other than to hurt and insult Muslims throughout the World, reinforce negative stereotypes, incite violence and fuel division. The film is as The Guardian 17/09/2012 state “a bigoted piece of poison calculated to inflame the Muslim world… it might be risible were it not for the ugly Islamophobia which it promotes and whose effects are now being seen around the world.”
Intended fury
The film has unsurprisingly prompted widespread protests throughout the World. On the 11th September In Cairo protesters scaled the walls of the embassy, pulled down the US flag and called for the expulsion of the US ambassador to Cairo. In Libya the U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other American staff members were killed in the American embassy in what appears to have been an unrelated pre-planned military style attack, as The Observer 16/09/2012 comments “The murder of US diplomats was not carried out spontaneously, but by a jihadist militia that wanted to kill Americans on the 9/11 anniversary.”
Protests directly triggered by the offensive, degrading film, have since taken place in countries with large Muslim populations, sadly causing as the BBC 14/09/2012 reports more loss of life. “Three people were killed when the US embassy in Khartoum was attacked, Sudanese state radio said. In Tunisia, two people were killed after crowds breached the US embassy compound in Tunis. There was one death in Egypt and one in Lebanon.” In Yemen hundreds of students demonstrated in the capital Sanaa and demanded the US ambassador be expelled, thousands waved flags on the streets of Beirut and chanted “America hear us – don’t insult our Prophet.” The Guardian 17/09/2012 reports that Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah has “called for new demonstrations to express outrage at a film that denigrates Islam and the prophet Muhammad. “Prophet of God, we offer ourselves, our blood and our kin for the sake of your dignity and honour,” Nasrallah told supporters who chanted “death to Israel” and “death to America” at a rally in the southern Shia suburbs of Beirut.”
The Philippines Indonesia, usually calm Qatar, Afghanistan, London, Kashmir, all have witnessed demonstrations and in Pakistan access to You tube has been blocked by the government, the Prime Minister, rightly describing the film as “”blasphemous.” Such is the deep-seated feeling amongst the people of the Muslim community. An open wound has been deliberately inflamed and the people cry out in anger and frustration.
Free speech or incitement
The film and the reaction to it, has prompted much to be written and spoken about unrestricted free speech and the dangers of censorship. Writing in The Observer Nick Cohen argues that, “Nothing, however vile, justifies censorship. Even in the hardest of cases such as this anti-Islamic film, the old arguments against censorship remain the best.” The observation of basic human rights is the foundation for any democratic society and free speech is a fundamental requirement. Where it is absent totalitarian control of one kind of another becomes possible, perhaps inevitable.
There are though many methods of control and restriction of freedoms, both crude and subtle. Is for example the manufacturing of consent, a form of sociological coercion commonplace in America (and elsewhere) compatible with freedom and/or democratic principles of independent thinking and participation. Noam Chomsky, “the anti-democratic thrust of opinion in what are called democratic societies is really ferocious, and for good reason. Because the freer the society gets, the more dangerous the great beast becomes and the more you have to be careful to cage it somehow.” The ‘Great Beast’ is of course us – the 99%.
The making and distribution of this film is not an expression of freedom of any kind, it contributes nothing of value to the political environment or social discourse and has no artistic merit. The Anna Lindh Foundation reinforces this view in their statement made on 16/09/12, asserting “Innocence of Muslims is an inflammatory pamphlet, the distribution of which – on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11th – cannot be abridged to a manifestation of freedom of expression.”
International law, acting as a guide and aid to clarity of thinking, states there are limits to free speech. Where such expression is clearly based on racial or religious hatred and incites violence, then it is illegal and the perpetrators subject to prosecution. For where the law is infringed consequences follow – something Israel should be made aware of. What is crucial is the motive. If something is spoken, written, painted, drawn, filmed etc. with the premeditated intention of causing offense, because it is rooted in hatred of one kind or another it is outside the law.
Freedom of expression is indeed a fundamental human right, but it does not stand alone, or above other related rights, such as human dignity and mutual respect. All need to coexist and indeed all are indivisible.
Unless the filmmakers of Innocence of Muslims are completely naïve or plain stupid, they would have known that producing a film in which the Prophet Mohammed is portrayed, as a violent, promiscuous simpleton would inevitably cause offense and would probably result in violent demonstrations. Therefore the film breaches international guidelines on free speech, and should be banned, its makers charged and prosecuted. Al Jazeera 14/09/2012 quote the filmmaker Danny Schechter, whose view on the film is clear: “It is very political from beginning to end. It’s not about free expression; it’s about propaganda. The film is incitement – it’s not information, it’s not filmmaking and it’s really intended as a technique of war-making.”
What good can possibly come from continuing to allow such a distasteful film to be circulated? It serves no purpose other than to provoke further potential violence. Enabling Muslims to be marginalized and demonized once more, constructing some perverse justification for continued American and Israeli intimidation, aggression and the spreading of paranoia. Allowing this film to be shown or not has little to do with censorship and/or free speech, and to reduce this issue to such notions is a convenient, distraction, fabricated in order to avoid discussing the filmmakers intention and the underlying causes of Islamists hurt and anger, which arise largely out of American foreign policy.
Simmering resentment “the safeguard of justice”
Opinion amongst large numbers of Islamists throughout the Muslim World towards America is overwhelmingly negative. The Pew Research Center found in a recent survey that “There remains a widespread perception that the U.S. acts unilaterally and does not consider the interests of other countries. In predominantly Muslim nations, American anti-terrorism efforts are still widely unpopular.” In fact according to the Pew report only 15% of Muslims have confidence in President Obama, approve of his foreign policies and hold favorable views of America in general. Pew state, “In a number of strategically important Muslim nations, America’s image has not improved during the Obama presidency.” In fact it has deteriorated, as US policies throughout the region continue to cause consternation amongst large numbers of Muslims, (and of course more widely).
American support for Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, which violates a host of international and indeed national laws and contravenes numerous UN resolutions, is perhaps top of the list. Followed by the Iraq war US involvement in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Yemen, long running proxy wars in Somalia, and US support for what the BBC call ‘friendly dictators’. Add confinement without trial, abuse and torture in Guantanamo and Bagram prisons, the burning of the Qur’an by US soldiers in Afghanistan and Florida Pastor Terry Jones and disrespecting the dead bodies of Afghans. The list is indeed long and damning, and so it goes on.
The recent demonstrations were simply sparked by the film Innocence of Muslims; it was of course not the root cause of the protests. As the BBC 15/09/2012 state “we are witnessing profound anti-Americanism, dormant for much of last year, fused with religious extremism – with the controversial Innocence of Muslims film merely a trigger.” Of course extremists were involved they never miss an opportunity, their violent actions distorting the events feeding prejudice and creating a convenient diversion from the issues.
US ideals of peace justifying conflict
All violence is to be condemned and the attacks that caused deaths and injuries resulting from these protests are no exception, they should not be allowed to take centre stage though, and it must be stated that the vast majority of actions undertaken have been peaceful and without incident. The Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF) says in relation to the protests that “the vast majority of Muslim public opinion has expressed its anger to the release of the film peacefully and individually, and the Arab governments of the region have reiterated their commitment with cultural inclusiveness while condemning the attacks to diplomatic delegations.”
To speak with solemnity and shock, calling for justice against the perpetrators of violence as US officials have, is expected and indeed right, albeit hypocritical and reactionary. In order to create peace however it is necessary to remove the causes of conflict, in this case those causes are complex and not confined to one poorly made deeply offensive film. Offensive let us add, not just to Muslims, who are understandably enraged, but to all right minded men and women respectful and tolerant of others beliefs and cultures.
American foreign policy is seen by many to be that which seeks to extend the influence and maximize the power of America, safeguard their interests at the expense of others and the natural environment and support criminality – Israel comes to mind. Such distasteful American foreign policies go back decades, as Noam Chomsky states in The Guardian “Even in the 1950s, President Eisenhower was concerned about what he called a campaign of hatred of the US in the Arab world, because of the perception on the Arab street that it supported harsh and oppressive regimes to take their oil.” A perception proved to be correct.
Ideologically driven, rooted in a desire to export worldwide an American version, or vision, of democracy, which they claim to be the highest ideal for all. The attitude is that when all follow America’s lead on matters relating to economics, politics, religion and social affairs, peace will inevitably follow, and not until. With this doctrine in mind America has sought to dominate the world, repeatedly making war in the name of peace.
Peace though is beyond ideology. For peace to envelop our world as men ad women everywhere hope, there must be tolerance, cooperation and understanding of others, not ideological imposition – of any kind. The equitable sharing of natural resources, of knowledge, ideas and experience will create justice. Dissipating mistrust and resentment leading to peace and a natural movement towards unity that encourages the greatest possible diversity enriching the lives of us all.
Occidental double standards
The recent outrage by the Muslim Ummah protesting against a low budget blasphemous movie produced in theUSAand the West’s condemnation of the remonstration of the Islamists depict occidental double standards.The US State Department assures the Muslims that the sacrilegious film was not sponsored by it. The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, during her meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, made it clear that the protests that had turned violent and, sadly, resulted in loss of life, cannot be tolerated. She admitted that there is provocation, and theUShad made clear that it does not in any way support provocation. She reiterated that theUSadministration found the video, which is at the core of this series of events, offensive, disgusting and reprehensible.
Unfortunately, the West displays double standards in its dealing. Terry Jones, a small time pastor of Dove World Outreach Centre, a small nondenominational Christian church inGainesville,Florida, had his 10 minutes of fame when he burnt copies of the Holy Quràn. His despicable act was condemned, but no legal action was taken against him. The Danish caricatures ridiculing Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were in bad taste and violently protested by the Muslim Ummah, but no legal action was taken against the cartoonist, who caused mental agony to billions of Muslims all over the globe. Salman Rushdie, the author of Satanic Verses, was revered by the West although his blasphemous book was reviled by the Muslims all over the globe. Now similar revulsion has been caused by the profane film, which would have gone unnoticed if the producer had not taken pains to translate it in Arabic and post it on YouTube.
The sad aspect is that all these heinous acts causing mental anguish to Muslims for defaming their beloved Prophet (PBUH) are brushed aside by the West under the ‘Freedom of Speech Act’.
It is, indeed, doublespeak when the punishment for the denial of Holocaust ranges to imprisonment of one up to 10 years in a number of Western countries. Nudity is permissible but in some Western countries, Muslim women covering their heads with scarves can be punished or sacked from their jobs or expelled from educational institutions. InDenmark, the construction of magnificent palaces, citadels and mansions is permissible, but the domes of mosques are prohibited. Smoking at public places is prohibited as it is injurious to health, but the onslaught of venomous comments against a religious entity is permissible under freedom of speech. InGermany, Hitler’s Mein Kampf is banned, but books preaching hate and odium against Islam are tolerable. It is high time that the Occident reviews its laws against blasphemy and the reviling of other religions.
On the other hand, Muslims, and especially Pakistanis, need to rein in our anger.September 21, 2012, was declared as the day of ‘Love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH)’, but it turned into a day of expressing extreme hatred, violence and aggression. The same Holy Prophet (PBUH), whom we revere and whose Sunnah (teaching and practices) we are ordained to follow, were conveniently forgotten. The Prophet (PBUH) was a paragon of love and virtue. He decried violent behaviour and forgave even those who caused him physical harm.
Against this backdrop, Pakistanis, who attacked and burned a church, cinema houses, looted ATMs, torched cars and petrol pumps, only caused damage to their own country. They lost an ideal opportunity to display to the world that their sentiments had been hurt. By giving vent to their emotions through violent acts, they only revealed their barbaric nature and brought Islam a bad name. No wonder, an Indian student has taunted that India does not need to build Pakistan-specific Agni and Prithvi missiles —- “just produce a blasphemous movie, post it on YouTube and in retaliation, Pakistanis will destroy their own country.”
Brazil moves against Google over videos
A Brazilian court has ordered YouTube to remove an anti-Islam video that prompted violent protests across the Muslim world, while an elections court has ordered the arrest of a Google executive after the popular video-sharing service failed to remove a video attacking a mayoral candidate.Tuesday’s decision by a state court in Sao Paulo, home to a large Middle Eastern immigrant community, came just hours after Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff criticised “Islamophobia” in Western countries in a speech at the UN.
In a statement, the court said Judge Gilson Delgado Miranda gave the video-sharing site ten days to remove videos of the film, “Innocence of Muslims”.
After that, it will face fines of $5,000 a day for every day the clips remain accessible in Brazil.
The case against the controversial film was brought by a Brazilian Muslim group, the National Islamic Union, against Google Inc, the owner of YouTube, for posting on the internet a film it said was offensive and a violation of the constitutional right to freedom of religion.
Miranda said the case juxtaposed freedom of expression and the need to protect individuals or groups of people from action that might incite religious discrimination.
Miranda concluded that banning something illegal should not “offend” freedom of thought and expression, according to the ruling posted online by Estado de S. Paulo newspaper.
It was not the only Brazilian court ruling against Google on Tuesday. Earlier, an elections court ordered the arrest of Google’s most senior executive in Brazil after the company failed to take down YouTube videos attacking a local mayoral candidate.
Google is appealing the order, which follows a similar decision by another Brazilian election judge. In that case, a judge found another senior executive responsible for violating local election law. That decision was overturned last week.
The legal challenges underline broader questions about Google’s responsibility for content uploaded by third parties to its websites.
Fifteen people were killed in Pakistan during demonstrations over the video on Friday.
People involved in the film, an amateurish 13-minute clip of which was posted on YouTube, have said it was made by a 55-year-old California man, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.
Muslim leaders condemn Islamophobia at UN General Assembly
Muslim leaders have called on the Western countries to stop spreading Islamophobia and blasphemy in their communities, challenging US President Barack Obama’s defense of freedom of expression.In his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Obama condemned the “violence and intolerance” which has erupted across the world over a blasphemous anti-Islam film produced in the United States.
He also stated that the removal of such sacrilegious videos or offensive publications from the Internet would be a violation of the US constitution, which “protects the right to practice free speech.”
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono challenged Obama’s speech, saying the insulting movie was another example of religious defamation.
He also called for the establishment of an international “instrument to effectively prevent incitement to hostility or violence based on religions or beliefs.”
In addition to Yudhoyono, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari asked the UN to take actions against the “incitement of hate” against Muslims.
“Although we can never condone violence, the international community must not become silent observers and should criminalize such acts that destroy the peace of the world and endanger world security by misusing freedom of expression,” Zardari said during his speech at the General Assembly.
Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai denounced the anti-Islam movie and said, “The menace of Islamophobia is a worrying phenomenon that threatens peace and co-existence.”
The Muslim world has been boiling with anti-Western sentiments over a blasphemous film named Innocence of Muslims, which insults Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Muslim protesters across the globe demand the US government apologize to the Muslims and punish those behind the blasphemous act.
Freedom of Speech - Double Standards?
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So what they are doing now is shifting the focus, after they have finished off Christianity, they are now attacking Islam. But the whole war is against spirituality as a whole."
This last week in yet another anti-Muslim move, a French magazine published a caricature of the prophet of Islam (PBUH), sparking more outrage in the Muslim world and with no stoppage or condemnation by France or any other Western governments.
Press TV has interviewed Mr. Manfred Petritsch, an international activist and prominent finance expert. What follows is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Press TV: 1.3 billion people… Muslims. And we have this new wave of attack on Islam. These people, these Western countries, the Western people, those who are attacking Islam - Who are these people and why is it they are doing so?
Petritsch Well, I think they are trying to… We have to see this as a general picture of a war against spirituality. That means, they are not particularly attacking Islam, but they are attacking spirituality as a whole.
The attack against Christianity has been happening already since a long time and Christianity is more or less destroyed.
So what they are doing now is shifting the focus, after they have finished off Christianity, they are now attacking Islam. But the whole war is against spirituality as a whole.
Press TV: We saw in the United States the blasphemous film that sparked tensions and protests all across the world. The US Ambassador to Libya was killed; more than 40 people across the world were killed in those protests.
And right in the midst of all these protests and tensions, France allows a person, a magazine, a publisher to print another set of blasphemous material, this time cartoons insulting the prophet of Islam. And yet the French authorities did not do anything to stop that although they knew that it might create further tension in the world - they didn’t stop that.
At the same time, they stopped the French magazine that published nude pictures of the British princess. So, what is going on here? Why is this happening, why the disparity?
Petritsch Well, this shows you exactly the double standard the West operates in many ways. So if it is against what they want then they of course stop it, like the photos of the princess, which is of course, wrong to invade her personal life.
But how can the insult of a whole religion be less important than the personal feelings of one person?
So, on the one hand the same government or the same system in France closes down a magazine because of nude pictures, but on the other hand allows insulting cartoons against a whole religion. And this shows how the West always uses double standards, in many ways… This exposes it, that what they are doing is a lie.
Press TV: Do you think the attacks will continue - the attacks on Islam?
Petritsch As I said before we are talking about a war against spirituality… You see, a lot of people believe that the cause for all this protest is the film. But I think it’s not the film, the film was just the ignition point.
There was a whole explosive mixture existing because of the American foreign policy or the foreign policy of the West as a whole against all Islamic countries; against the war they are fighting; against this double standard they are doing; against the killer drones, which are killing hundreds of civilians.
And all this explosive mixture was there and now the film came along and was the ignition point. So I think the people are not protesting specially against the film, they are protesting against the whole attitude of the West towards the Islamic countries.
Press TV: The issue of human rights particularly the issue of European countries talk more often than not about the issue of human rights in terms of, they want those countries that they say violate human rights to be brought to justice and they themselves say that they are the biggest advocates of human rights in the world.
A lot of people say that the sanctions against Iran that primarily affect ordinary people in the country; they say these sanctions are in essence in violation of human rights of the Iranian people. What do you think?
Petritsch Absolutely. Anybody who reads the Charter of the United Nations sees that sanctions must not cover, for instance, medical supplies or food and things like that. That means anything that touches the basic human rights of people you cannot sanction, right?
But they are doing it, so they are violating not only their own laws, but also the laws of the United Nations. But who is there to take them to court? That is a big problem, you know.
Press TV: You come from Switzerland. Switzerland is part of the countries that are imposing sanctions against Iran. Is that something legal in terms of the Swiss Constitution, the Swiss internal laws?
Petritsch: No. The Swiss government is acting illegally because Switzerland and the spirit of Switzerland, is based on neutrality. That’s what Switzerland is all about. And it’s about humanitarian aid. That’s also why the Red Cross has its headquarters there, and UNICEF and all these humanitarian organizations.
So what the Swiss government is doing by blindly following the sanctions of the United States and of the EU is, in my opinion, definitely breaking the laws and the spirit of Switzerland.
That is not correct because they’re taking sides, and Switzerland does not take sides -- it always helps, normally, people who are suffering. And I know that the Iranian people are suffering because of these sanctions.
Press TV: How does Switzerland explain, justify the sanctions against Iran?
Petritsch: The Swiss Foreign Ministry and the government say that they cannot step out of line, out of this NATO policy. They cannot be something different because otherwise they will suffer themselves.
But I think that the Swiss politicians should have enough backbone to say to the EU and NATO countries ‘you can do what you want, but we have our own policies’.
Press TV: Switzerland is not taking independent policies?
Petritsch: No. That is a big problem that a lot of people see, that more and more, Switzerland is losing its independence, its own free decision-making, its neutrality. This has a couple of reasons:
First, the reason is that we are, in Switzerland, under huge pressure from the outside because we are surrounded by NATO countries and by EU countries. So you can imagine being a small island in this sea, we are under huge pressure - just like Iran.
They don’t like independent countries. They don’t like countries that don’t follow their policies. So this is a huge pressure. The problem is that our government is collapsing to these pressures and they shouldn’t do that.
Press TV: Let’s talk about a different topic, the issue of terrorism in the world. Militants, insurgency, a lot of al-Qaeda fighters, al-Qaeda insurgents who have been fighting American and NATO forces in the past 11, 12 years, these people are now fighting in Syria against the Syrian government.
When they fight in Afghanistan, they are called insurgents, they are called terrorists. When they fight in Syria, they are called freedom fighters. How does that sit in terms of double standards in the way that the West is looking at these people, the same people, but different titles when it comes to different countries?
Petritsch: Well, here we have again the proof that the West works with double standards. So for the West, there is good terrorism and bad terrorism.
Turkey is a very good example. Turkey allows bases for al-Qaeda terrorists, training camps where they’re supplied with weapons, and then sent to Syria to cause terror. But at the same time, the government fights terror, which comes from the outside, from Iraq, from the PKK.
Here we have a perfect example of how on the one hand they support terrorism when it is to their own good; and on the other hand, they fight it when it is against them. This shows how the West always uses double standards in many ways.
Press TV: Is there anything else that you wanted to discuss?
Petritsch: I would like to say to your viewers that Iran has many friends in the West who are realizing more and more that the way Iran is treated is wrong. Also, that there is a completely wrong picture about Iran out there.
The reason is that the Western media purposely is showing the wrong picture about how the Iranians are, what they think, what they want.
I hope that with more and more information, we can open up the minds of the people more so that they understand that what their governments are doing is wrong against Iran.
We are fighting here an information war. The question is, who will win this information war? We are up against a huge enemy with endless resources, who control all the media and therefore they can show this wrong picture. The question is can we counter that?
SC/GMA/JR