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Anti Islam film maker arrested in US

28 September 2012 02:03 am - 48     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The filmmaker of the controversial video that sparked protests across the Muslim world has been arrested in Los Angeles.

Nakoula Besseley Nakoula is in custody and is scheduled to make a court appearance in a federal court in Los Angeles.

The 55-year-old has been under investigation for violating probation terms after he was released from prison in 2011 for bank fraud.

Court records say he was banned from accessing the internet or using an alias without an officer's permission. (Source: BBC)

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  Comments - 48

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  • Ahamed Friday, 28 September 2012 04:22 PM

    Youtube is in america and it is violating united states law just like this film maker.

    warElephant Friday, 28 September 2012 06:59 AM

    No something as derogatory as this should be delt with swiftly, or others will continue to produce such films like this without fearing the law.

    Mendis Aiya Friday, 28 September 2012 07:13 AM

    Banadra,
    Can't you remember how Pakistan objected and condemned that act of Taliban ?
    They sent an emissary to discuss this matter with Sri Lanka and to support Buddhist sentiment all over the world.
    So you should mention that also without insulting our true Muslim friends in general terms.

    thahir Friday, 28 September 2012 07:17 AM

    We are really proud of paskistan Railyway minister who is making good efford and even the people of pakistan

    RamUK Friday, 28 September 2012 08:35 AM

    R u serious, that was madness.

    AneyApoi Friday, 28 September 2012 10:26 AM

    Maithree is disciplining your self to be civilized enough not to react to provocation and anger. If your wife or daughter is raped, you have to be disciplined enough (MAITHREE) to allow the laws of the land to handle the situation, instead of retaliating similarly through more violence by killing or raping as "eye for an eye". A religion that teaches "eye for en eye" is barbaric, medieval and definitely not suitable for the 21st century!

    Potta Sunil Friday, 28 September 2012 01:38 PM

    DONT MIX UP MADNESS WITH REALITY!

    smohammed Friday, 28 September 2012 02:10 PM

    Please do not forget that Pakistan and the Sri Lankan muslims objected to this at the time.
    Also, it was Pakistan (and Iran) that trained Sri Lanka airforce pilots to fight LTTE and Pakistani pilots also participated in the fight.
    More recently, it was majority of Muslim countries that voted for Sri Lanka in Geneva when the west was trying to persecute us Sri Lankans.
    Please be fair in your judgment.

    Naleer Friday, 28 September 2012 03:18 PM

    Scripture will reveal the truth dont look at a muslim near you but Quran. What Science discovered 100yrs back, Quran said 1400yrs back
    Fastest growing religion in USA n UK is Islam.

    xlntgson Friday, 28 September 2012 03:36 PM

    # shiran, wonks stealing gold statues is what sort of a crime? Anyhow, Lord Buddha never preached idolatry; nor he encouraged to keep his look like images everywhere!

    Damien Perera Friday, 28 September 2012 03:50 PM

    He cannot be charged under US law for making the film. It would have been a different story if he made a film insulting the Jews.
    Within days of the film creating turmoil, a French satirical magazine published a cartoon insulting the prophet. Soon after that the French banned all protests against the cartoon. That is Freedom of Speech, French style. Incidentally, France is one of the 17 democratic countries in the world where it is illegal to question the Holocaust. Those who dared to challenge the Holocaust ended up in jail and/or had to pay a fine. Another example of Freedom of Speech, French style.

    Sue Friday, 28 September 2012 06:44 AM

    Violence and mayhem is exactly what creators of such anti religious, and racist videos and cartoons want and our stupid people play right into their hands. Most of these protesters don't even know what they're protesting against but are incited by politicians and others with agenda's of their own.

    pal Friday, 28 September 2012 04:31 PM

    i will nominate him for oska.

    Rania Friday, 28 September 2012 08:46 PM

    Don't play with The God, who created you! Punishment is inevitable either in this world or in the hereafter!

    Raymond Punchisingho Friday, 28 September 2012 11:17 PM

    Truth is more sacred than any religion or national identity. By resorting to violence the Islamic world has given credibility to the accusations against Mohammed. (The truth may hate after all.)

    A religion is not above reproach or criticism. A religion can acieve much benifit for all humanity, but it can also have an evil side to it. Much harm can be done to humanity through religion.

    Colonialism be it European or Islamic was all inspired through relgion, based on the assumption of a chosen race.

    Rania Saturday, 29 September 2012 12:36 PM

    @ Raymond Punchisingho, it is not the Islamic World which resorted to violence. Just a few extremists I would say. Most of us, love the Prophet and love to follow his teachings of love and peace with others. If you read about Prophet Muhammad you would know what I am talking about.

    lankalion Saturday, 29 September 2012 12:56 PM

    Completely agree with you Raymond. Truth must prevail and no religion, whatever it may be, is and should be free from criticism.

    The protection of free speech, as long as it is not used to incite violence, is a fundamental right that should be protected.

    What people who may be offended by such videos and films should do, is to exercise their freedom of choice and chose not to watch the film!

    Modaya Saturday, 29 September 2012 01:21 PM

    Well said Damien. If you deny the holocast you are jailed, if you insult Islam, it is freedom of speech. Double standards, but that is France. That is Sri Lanka too going by the racist comments.

    Hussain Saturday, 29 September 2012 03:09 PM

    Before commenting everyone should read the article: The Heart Of A Muslim
    By Tawfik Hamid
    "I am a Muslim by faith, a Christian by spirit, a Jew by heart, and above all I am a human being."
    ~ Dr. Tawfik Hamid.
    Dr. Hamid is an Egyptian scholar and author of the article.
    The world needs more people like him---ones who have the courage to face-up to reality.

    maya Saturday, 29 September 2012 09:43 PM

    any mad thing under the name of religion is mad.
    anyone mad with with religion without reality is the worst thing to the future world.

    Silva Saturday, 29 September 2012 10:25 PM

    Saudi and UAE selling anti Christ books in their book stalls. Saudi rulers baned other religions activities.

    xlntgson Sunday, 30 September 2012 01:11 AM

    # raymond punchisingho and others should define what is criticism and what is blasphemy, depicting a religious leader in nude is freedom of expression, eh? Then do that to face the reality!

    ravi Friday, 28 September 2012 04:10 AM

    today friday they will find another issu this time must be dambula...

    xlntgson Friday, 28 September 2012 02:25 AM

    Nakoula who produced the film now 'banned' to see it even, how curious people clamour to see it searching on! The best possible way to prevent is: to ignore such yellow (or blue?) videos!

    Abdul Friday, 28 September 2012 02:29 AM

    He has been arrested not because of the film, because he used Internet while on probation, YouTube says it cannot remove the video as it does not viloate its rules, but he has viloated his country's rules

    habeeb Friday, 28 September 2012 02:39 AM

    thats good move by federal authorities. atleast today Friday prayears will be a peacefull one in the mddle east. If they have done this earlier they could have saved many lifes and property damages.

    chryshan Friday, 28 September 2012 02:48 AM

    He should be punished for making a film to harm a religion. What is purpose of making a film to hurt feelings of another person. US should have stopped this long ago. Also Muslim community would have got this banned in a more diplomatic manner without going to streets and making world know there is film like this. By this everybody have watched the film on internet which most of them would have never known of existence of such a film.

    jayasingha Friday, 28 September 2012 03:09 AM

    U SA must educate it's citizens that the 1'st ammmendment does not give a licence to it's people to ignore sensivities of other people when publishing news items.

    Mike Samson Friday, 28 September 2012 03:19 AM

    they have arrested this man for only accessing the internet during his probation terms,not for making the film.on the issue of making the film he is still free.the u.s said openly that he has not violated the u.s law by making this film.i think the u.s is encouraging such people like Nakoula Besseley to do such things to provoke people of other countries to get their embassies attacked so they can make the way to attack or invade those countries.

    Dil Friday, 28 September 2012 03:31 AM

    That's good. hence forward Galle road kollupitiya area will never close again :D

    A.N.J Friday, 28 September 2012 03:31 AM

    So you mean that the federal authorities are responsible for the lives lost and property damaged???Dont you think thats lame? Killing people and destroying property did not harm the USA.

    MirakRajBanda Friday, 28 September 2012 03:32 AM

    Hey wait, wait... under what charges has been arrested?
    Violating the probation terms not for making the film.

    patana Friday, 28 September 2012 04:02 AM

    Justice will take its course in the USA. But will all those people killed during the riots in the Middle East and Pakistan ever get justice. Nope. That's the difference between the West and the Rest.

    bandara Friday, 28 September 2012 04:08 AM

    did the muslim countries ever object to the taliban destroying Buddha statues

    Medusa Friday, 28 September 2012 02:13 AM

    USA, all should be sensitive to the feeling of other nations and religions and refrain from insulting them.

    deshi ferdnando Friday, 28 September 2012 04:21 AM

    no one should disgrace a religion

    sampath Friday, 28 September 2012 04:37 AM

    We want him to make another film..may be better quality.....should not bend down to protests and violence....its freedom of expression

    Shiran Friday, 28 September 2012 04:40 AM

    Why don't Afghanistan arrest the destroyers of Buddha statues?

    dev Friday, 28 September 2012 04:54 AM

    it seems the story is true?

    Thambiya Friday, 28 September 2012 04:58 AM

    Bandara, you seems to be in deep slumber.

    Mena Friday, 28 September 2012 04:59 AM

    Good point Shiran- There is only one country in the world is blatantly steadfast when dealing with the Islamic world...... you know who!

    Hoodie Friday, 28 September 2012 04:59 AM

    HE should be arrested for making crappy movies.

    Roshan Friday, 28 September 2012 05:06 AM

    Surely a religion whose faith its followers claim can move mountains can withstand an insult from a single youtube video?

    podi malli Friday, 28 September 2012 05:41 AM

    what ever the religion, it philosophy should guide people to act humanly and lead a peaceful life...my personal belief is pay maithree on everybody. when i say everybody that is including every living being. but you cannot force someone to do that. but what i cant believe here is how come a religion can ask an eye for an eye...or to destroy any person who is not believing or against that religion? can someone explain this to me?

    Nihal Friday, 28 September 2012 06:05 AM

    Simple. will you pay maithree to a person when he come to yor home rape your wife or daughter and kill them? so, Islam is given proper guidence to each and every aspect of life

    Rizvii Friday, 28 September 2012 06:04 AM

    Yes, read (books on comparative religions).


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