SINGAPORE: The Singapore foreign ministry has criticized an offensive film that is insulting to Islam, which has sparked protests across the Islamic world. The ministry also condemned the violence against the American mission in Libya. The attack at the United States Consulate in Benghazi left American Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens killed and three other staff members dead in the violence on Tuesday. Singapore expressed its deepest condolences and sympathies to the families and friends of the victims in their time of grief. A spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the properties of foreign diplomatic missions and safety of foreign diplomatic staff should always be protected and guaranteed under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The MFA spokesman said Singapore also strongly condemns the video, “Innocence of Muslims”, which denigrates Islam. He added that the video is highly offensive to Muslims and Singapore deplores the actions of the makers of this insensitive video. Freedom of speech, he said, must be balanced with respect for religious sensitivities. At the same time, extreme acts by individuals “should be dealt with in a calm and rational manner and can never provide the excuse for any acts of violence.”
