Thousands of angry Egyptians yesterday demonstrated outside the premises of the US Embassy in Cairo, as a group of Coptic Christians living in the US broadcast a movie defaming Prophet Mohamed [peace be upon him]. "All but the Messenger of Allah. With soul and blood we sacrifice for Islam," demonstrators shouted. Some of them climbed the wall around the Embassy, tearing down the US flag and setting it alight, witnesses said. Islamists and Salafists, as well as Ultras, members of the 6 April Youth Movement and other revolutionary groups took part in the demonstration. A 13-minute video release on YouTube blasphemously featuring the life of Prophet Mohamed has triggered shock waves, as a number of religious officials – Muslim and Christian – denounced the "abusive scenes" in the movie. Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa has condemned the film, calling on human rights activists and religious organisations worldwide to take action against the defamation of any religion. Bishop Bakhomious, the head of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church, described the film's producers as non-Christians. "Anyone who abuses other faiths is not a Christian. Jesus taught us love," he said, denouncing any attempt to drive a wedge between Egyptians. Father Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Catholic Church here, agrees with Bishop Bakhomious, saying that the film's producers want to foment sedition and destabilise the country. "We reject abuse of any faith," Father Greiche stressed. "This [movie] totally contradicts the teachings of Jesus Christ, who called for love and accepting others," said Safwat Bayadi, the head of the Evangelical Church of Egypt. "The movie is full of filth. As a Copt living in Canada, I feel so sorry that the Egyptian media should accuse expatriate Copts of producing something like that. Whoever produced the film cannot be called a Christian in the first place," Mona Rizkallah, told The Egyptian Gazette. "I'm as angry as my Muslim friends over the film. It is an insult to all of us," she added. The low-budget movie is directed by American Copt Sam Bacile and co-produced by Morris Sadek, another Copt expatriate in the US. Terry Jones, a Florida-based pastor who burnt copies of the Holy Qur'an last year, held a mock trial of Prophet Mohamed for alleged "crimes against humanity". Political activist George Ishaq said on his Twitter account that Sadek should be tried for treason. The movie, which was uploaded to YouTube through Bacile's account, was broadcast live on Jones' Internet channel StandUpAmericaNow, as part of the commemorations for September 11 day. Jones said on his Facebook page that he took this step out of his conviction that the teachings of Islam were the main reason behind the 9/11 attacks. “If found guilty, Mohamed will be executed," he added. The US Embassy in Cairo condemned in a statement yesterday "continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims". "Today, on the 11th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honouring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. “Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others," the statement stressed.
