Egypt Issues Arrest Warrant For Americans Behind Muhammad Film (NPR)

Egypt's general prosecutor has issued an arrest warrant for eight Americans in relation to the anti-Muslim film that has sparked worldwide protests.

While it's not entirely clear who made the The Innocence of Muslims, a Coptic Christian from California named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula has admitted having a role in the film's making.

Still, reports the BBC, Egypt has issued an arrest warrant against Nakoula, six other American-based Coptic Christians and the Quran-burning Florida pastor Terry Jones, who helped publicize the film.

The BBC reports that Egypt accuses them of "insulting the Islamic religion, insulting the Prophet and inciting sectarian strife."

"It said international police agency Interpol would be notified of the warrants," the BBC reports. "A request will also be filed with U.S. judicial authorities."

According to the AP, the charges could be punishable by the death penalty. And, of course, the AP adds, the seven Americans will likely never be extradited so it's likely they will be tried in absentia.

Read the rest here.


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So ... now it's finally happened: a government's judicial system has issued arrest warrants for people, including non-citizens, who have done nothing other than exercising their free speech rights. The business about "inciting sectarian strife" is specious at best, as anyone can choose to react to any given event in any number of ways, and more likely so when they are ignorant and whipped into a frenzy less by the supposed insulter than by an imam with an agenda.

It is well past time that these any any other government officials understood that such actions do not make a positive impression on countries from whom they may later need support. And even if they have no interested in external support, the issuance of these charges indicate their duplicitous attitude, making noises about rights and freedom on the one hand while attempting to punish those who exercise free speech on the other.

I have said this multiple times, and I will continue to do so until it sinks in:

No one - No One - NO ONE - has the right not to be offended.