CAIRO: In what is already being tapped as a largely symbolic trial, the Egyptian government announced it had issued arrest warrants for 7 Coptic Christians and Florida-based pastor Terry Jones over their links to an anti-Islam film that sparked widespread protests in Egypt and across the Islamic world last week. All those that have seen arrests pushed by Egypt are unlikely to ever stand trial as they are believed to live outside Egypt. The aim, however, by the prosecutor is to show Egyptians that they are moving forward on publicly trying those they believe are responsible for the film, which insults and defames Islam and Prophet Mohamed. The prosecutor's office said in a statement that the warrants include the film's reported producer, “face charges of harming national unity, insulting and publicly attacking Islam and spreading false information.” If convicted they could face the death penalty, although in absentia they are most likely safe. A date for the trial has yet to be scheduled. the Associated Press reported that those being charged is Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, an Egyptian Copt living in southern California and believed to be behind the film. Florida-based Jones, who has said he was contacted by the filmmaker to promote the video, as well as Morris Sadek, a radical extremist Coptic Christian who gained religious refugee status and lives in the US is also among the names put forward. He promoted the video on his website and according to reports, pushed a reporter in Egypt to write the first article on the anti-Islam film in local press. He told Bikyamasr.com in an interview last year that his “enemy is the God of Islam” and is known for his anti-Islamic leanings. He also supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
