Muslim Hysteria over Fitna around the World
By
Daniel Greenfield
On
March 31, 2008
Damascus - 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. (a binding charter, I believe they call that Sharia)
"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. (as opposed to raping and murdering hundreds of thousands of people as al-Bashir's government has done)
Amman - Following the release of Geert Wilders' film Fitna, a group of 53 Jordanian MPs have delivered a petition to their government in Amman, demanding that it break all diplomatic ties with the Netherlands. They also want the Dutch ambassador expelled from the country. The Jordanian parliament consists of 110 members, 60 of whom were present when the petition was delivered.
Java - On the Indonesian island of Java hundreds of Islamic students took to the streets of the city of Magelang to protest against the film. Indonesia's Minister for Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah had previously called for demonstrations.
Malaysia - Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad urged the world's 1.3 billion Muslims to boycott Dutch products. Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said in a statement late Saturday that Wilders "must bear full responsibility over the release of the movie and the consequences of his action." (a none too subtly veiled threat)
Cairo - Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit called Wilders' film "a humiliation" to Islam. Egypt's Grand Imam Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi asked the Dutch government to do everything in its power to prevent Wilders from releasing his movie. "or the consequences will be severe."
Karachi - Police are tightening security around a Dutch consulate in Pakistan after Muslims angrily protested a Dutch lawmaker's anti-Quran film. About two dozen students burned an effigy of lawmaker Geert Wilders in front of the Karachi press club Saturday, a day after hundreds protested across Pakistan.
Bangladesh - "This totally unwarranted and mindless action can have grave consequences... because it will offend millions of Muslims around the world," a foreign ministry statement said on Friday. "Islam is a faith of peace which preaches patience and understanding," it said. (If Islam is so peaceful, patient and understanding, why worry about offending Muslims?)