Egyptian Christians sentenced to death for anti-Islam film

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - A Cairo court on Wednesday sentenced to death seven Egyptian Christians tried in absentia for participating in an anti-Islam video that was released on the Internet in September and had prompted violent protests in many Muslim countries.

"The seven accused persons were convicted of insulting the Islamic religion through participating in producing and offering a movie that insults Islam and its prophet," Judge Saif al-Nasr Soliman said.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/11/28/uk-egypt-christians-court-idUKBRE8AR0EZ20121128

[davidthegnome]

1. Here we go...

In Egypt? Damn. Would this have happened before the new leadership took place?

I think the video demonstrated poor taste, but to execute these people for participating in it? Madness. Tried in absentia? Hmm, I hope they're in another Country.

[John2]

4. That

has been their culture for centuries. It is also why the idea of spreading Democracy in that region overnight, just by over throwing installed Dictatorships is not reasonable, because of a culture that is centuries old. If you really want to understand the mindset of the region, then you have to know the differences between Western Civilization and Eastern Civilization and how they evolved. Many of the cultures, in Eastern civilizations, mix Theocracy with Government, unlike the enlightenment or renaissance stages of Western Civilizations. That is what George W. bush could not understand, when he came up with this idea, to spread Western Democracy. It might have sounded nice to him and you, but it was illogical from the beginning. You have to change habits and culture, they were built up over centuries in that region. And I'm afraid the Obama Administration has fell into the same trap. That is why, I favor the United worry about their own backyard, and let them solve their own problems. If they want Democracy, then let them bring it about.

[dotymed]

2. Unbelievable. This is symbolic of their 7th century culture.

This is 2012, if someone disagrees with your religion, you don't kill them. Of course that just proves that your religion is barbaric and sure doesn't win you any (willing) converts.
I find it sickening that many Christian religions doom you to hell when you don't agree with or have never been exposed to their fanatic beliefs.
When a country, in their "justice system", sentences you to death over religion, they prove their barbarism and their inability to become a part of an international community. Sadly, America (corporate rulers) have encouraged this zealotry by doing business with them and having diplomatic relations. "We" have outsourced a lot of torture and murder to them. All for greed and expediency.
America and it's policies are just as guilty of this savagery as Cairo is. Our corporate/political leaders obviously do not care about world citizens when they so easily snuggle up to these idiots because they have something they want.
It doesn't matter which dictator is in power, their willingness to kill people over religion has not changed and none of the (American supported) dictators have attempted to bring their society into the 21st century. Oppression is the mainstay in most of the middle east and our leaders and diplomats have been fine with this as long as "we" get what we want.

[John2]

5. It is

why we separate religion from politics, that many on the Right don't understand. Western Civilization and Europe had their Wars with Religious fanaticism too. I heard a comment from an English citizen on the Internet and thought it was kinda comical about the United States. He said that England sent their religious extremists to America and they still are extremists.

[Gore1FL]

11. There was an article in Australia during the Clinton Impeachment

It's headline read (something along the lines of)

Thank God They got the Puritans and we got the prisoners.

[Quantess]

3. You know, ironically...

this court decision does little to encourage pro-islam sentiments.

[Ash_F]

6. A sad fact.

The reactionary approach is not helpful to anybody.

[NickB79]

17. Indeed. This just helps solidify the views put forth in that movie

That Islam is a religion of intolerance and hate, mired in a mindset a millenia out of date.

[Sunlei]

7. b-grade usa studio production. This film was used to flame/political troll for world protests?

We still don't know whos' money paid the costs to produce that silly b-grade film.
Who sub-titled the film.?
Who sent it to the largest internet Imam a week before the date,9-11.? That internet Imam was the single person who called for protests at American embassies.

What American $$$$ backed that deal? They have a lot of blood on their hands. Was this paid for with republican campaign money?

[Bluenorthwest]

12. That is extremely innacurate. That piece of crap video was in no way a 'usa studio

production'. That is a false statement. Utterly and totally false. Also hugely irresponsible to foist that lie. No 'usa studio' would produce anything like that piece of hate mongering. You should not make such false claims.

[Sunlei]

13. the 'film' was produced in an american studio (outside production location)

[sofa king]

15. Then you're going to be really pissed when...

... that money trail ends with Mitt Romney and the GOP.

It's going to come out. They don't have the people left in place to stall the investigations, and all of the indicators currently point to a muffed "October Surprise" funded with Republican money and perhaps even assistance from a certain foreign nation, one whose leader came to the U.S. to campaign for Romney.

You are also factually incorrect. The permits for filming were procured by a group called by Media for Christ, an American non-profit organization. It used American actors and is completely protected by the United States' First Amendment. It was an American production, produced by a slapdash but very American "studio," filmed at least partly in America with American actors.

Replace "American" with "Republican" and/or "unwitting American" in the paragraph above and the true nature of the operation should reveal itself to you... unless you already know that.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. I have made zero comment on who funded the video in question. I am not wrong.

That poster's claim that this was a 'studio production' is foolish and incorrect. It was not made by a production studio, a 'studio production' implies major film industry involvement. Of course Americans were involved, but no 'usa Studio' was involved. Additionally, the term 'B movie' is being used to further imply that this was a second tier production from a major studio which also creates A moives.
No US Film Studio was involved. Media for Christ is not a film studio. Even you put quotations around it "studio". You do so because you are aware that that is a religious group not a producer of a slate of films, A list, B movies.
The fact is that liars using this crap to make trouble have often said that it was a Studio Production which aired on US network TV. Both things are false. It is false to call that shit 'a B movie' from a 'usa studio' as if it was made using mainstream financing and mainstream production sources. It is false. Just as the first reports that it was 'financed by Jooooos' were false. Hollywood and the Joooos....not the first time this particular bit of libel has made the rounds in history.
To imply in any way that this was created by the US Film Industry and the Unions involved in that industry is a fucking slander and an utter and total lie. It is like saying that the UAW make terrorist bombs. A libel, a lie and a total fabrication.
Anyone calling this a product of the United States Studios and our film industry is full of shit. Full of shit.
Theories about the money trail or motives for making it have nothing at all to do with the fact that this crap was not a product of our film industry as that poster claims it was. This was not a Hollywood B movie not matter how hard the haters wish it to be. And that's my point. Blame anyone you'd like, just don't try to claim this was some Studio product, just another B movie made by Hollywood, because we all know better than that.

[sofa king]

19. Okay, so you don't want Hollywood drawn in.

That's fine. I can see why Hollywood wouldn't want to be ascribed the blame for this.

But the "and the Joooos" part? We'll have to wait and see about that, won't we?

[jsr]

8. And Egypt gets the most U.S. foreign aid

of any country except for Israel.

[happyslug]

10. And something like 95% is Military aid, which the present President cares less about

Remember, Egypt is in a fight between the Moslem Brotherhood (which with its allies received about 75% of the votes in the last two elections) and the Military upper echelon (Mostly Murabek's supporters). The Military Aid strengthens the Military, so President Mohamed Morsi Isa El-Ayyat, whose support is the Moslem Brotherhood cares less about it (and may even would like it to stop, to weaken the Generals).

Of the $1.55 Billion of Aid, $1.3 Billions MILITARY AID, thus the only Aid the Moslem Brotherhood cares about is the remaining, $250 million in economic aid.

http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/14/13866898-how-much-are-taxpayers-spending-on-egypt-and-libya?lite

A million is not that much money anymore. $250 million is not that much, when compared to the 1.3 BILLION in Military aid (or $1300 Million is Military Aid). That $250 million is what MAY concern the Moslem Brotherhood, but most of that sounds like aid to buy fuel, used by the Egyptian Military and the elites, thus most of that money is NOT a concern of the Moslem Brotherhood.

Please note the US Government spends $1.5 BILLION dollars a day on Medicare. In other words the US aid to Egypt, including military aid, equals one day of spending on Medicare.

Egypt Gross National Produce (GNP) is $255.9 Billion, so, including the military aid, this equals less then 1/2 of a percent of the GNP. Would you worry about something that affects less then .5% of your income? (i.e.NOT 5% .5% and the economic part is 1/8 of that, for the ,5% includes the Military spending).

http://data.worldbank.org/country/egypt-arab-republic?display=default#cp_wdi


Now, Egypt is dependent on foreign oil, which is paid for with American Aid Money, but can Washington cut that aid? I asked that question for such a cut off, could trigger problems throughout the middle east, including Saudi Arabia:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/world/middleeast/white-house-move-to-give-egypt-450-million-in-aid-meets-resistance.html?_r=0

The Arab Spring and the price of food:
http://www.economist.com/node/21550328
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/world/july-dec11/food_09-07.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/04/food-fao-idUSL6E8L473R20121004

In simple terms, what drives the population of Egypt is the price of Food, not military supplies, or anything else the US can give them. The elites may want cell phones and more internet service, but 18-40 % (Depends on the source) of Egyptians live on less then #2 a day or less, ($730 a YEAR or LESS),

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/07/egypts-silent-poor-majority/242105/

http://data.worldbank.org/country/egypt-arab-republic?display=default

22% of the population live in poverty:
http://data.worldbank.org/country/egypt-arab-republic?display=default#cp_wdi

Gross National Income per Capita is only $2600, compared to the US of $48.450 and Israel of $28.930.

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD/countries/EG-XQ-XN?display=default

Just pointing out, the price of food is more critical to Egypt then anything else, and most US Foreign Aid is of Military gear NOT food (and clearly not food in the last five years), thus the Military aid from the US is a non-factor in the fight between the Moslem Brotherhood and the Generals of Egypt, except to the Generals who the US really wants to support.

[happyslug]

9. So an Egyptian Court sentenced to death, people living in the US????

This is all showmanship, the Court wants to show it is protecting Islam, while it is gearing up for a Fight with the President of Egypt and the Moslem Brotherhood.

Lets remember, in such cases, the person still has to be ARRESTED and if they request tried again. Given that the people in the film never left the US, the US will NOT extradite them and the Egyptian court knew this. i.e. this is all for show and I suspect to show the Courts will protect Islam better then the Moslem Brotherhood.

Remember, the Courts of Egypt are filled with hold overs from Murabek's rule. These are the same courts that objected to the President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi Isa El-Ayyat issuing his recent decrees as to the Courts NOT be able to over turn his decisions that had been willing to APPROVE (if they did not actually approve) Murabek's similar demand for even greater powers. Thus the reason for this decision has to due with internal Egyptian politics not anything about the Defendants or even the film.

[burnsei sensei]

14. It's a truth Egyptian Muslims can't stomach--

The Copts, the majority of indigenes of Egypt, just arent . . . just aren't . . . Muslims.
Damn it.
If only they could be terrorized, impoverished, marginalized into the Ummah.
More than a thousand years pass, and still no dice.

[mojowork_n]

21. I wonder if the court specified

the method. In the old days, in some parts of the Caliphate, it was the barrel. Beheading or suffocation/drowning. Last chance to choose.

Many centuries more than a thousand years.

[hrmjustin]

16. Death for a movie? What kind of values do these judges have.

[Melinda]

20. Great, if Terry Jones thought he had a reason to burn the Qur'an before...

talk about adding fuel to fire (no pun intended. Good grief. Idiots.