SHAFAQNA

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — Egypt’s general prosecutor has issued arrest warrants for Florida-based Pastor Terry Jones and seven Egyptian Coptic Christians on charges linked to the anti-Islamic film "Innocence of Muslims" which incited riots across the Muslim World.

The prosecutor’s office says Jones and the seven Egyptians – all of whom are believed to be residing outside of Egypt – are charged with harming national unity, publicly insulting and attacking Islam, and spreading false information, AP reported Tuesday.

All of the accused could face the death penalty.

A statement from the prosecutor says that Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, an Egyptian Copt and convicted conman living in southern California who is believed to be responsible for the film, is among those charged.

On the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, controversial pastor Terry Jones released a video promoting the film, which portrays the Prophet in what he described as a "satirical" manner. Jones said he had been contacted by the filmmaker to promote the video. Last Tuesday, Jones showed the trailer for the film on what he called  "International Judge Mohammad Day."

Morris Sadek, a conservative Coptic Christian in the U.S. who actively worked to distribute the film's trailer online, was also among those charged.

There is no information forthcoming on the identity of the five other Coptic Christians – one of whom is said to be a woman – or their role in making the film.

Clips of the highly incendiary film, which portrayed the Muslim Prophet Mohammed in an intentionally derogatory light, first appeared on YouTube in July. Trailers for the film dubbed into Arabic were later uploaded in early September.

On September 8, an Egyptian Islamist television station broadcast excerpts of the film. Three days later, protests erupted in Egypt and Libya, leading to the death the US ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other diplomatic staff when enraged anti-American protesters stormed the US consulate in Benghazi.

Violent protests were sparked around the globe in which 40 people have been killed thus far.

Jones first rose to international infamy by launching a campaign to burn 200 copies of the Muslim holy book at his Gainesville-based church on the 2010 anniversary of the September 11 attacks. He backed down after considerable pressure, though his threats incited protests in the Middle East and Asia that result in at least 20 deaths.

In March 2011, Jones put the Koran on trial. After finding it guilty of “crimes against humanity,” he burned it in his church sanctuary.

Afghan President Karzai made a speech condemning Jones and calling for his arrest on March 31 following the highly provocative publicity stunt.

The following day Afghan protesters stormed the UN compound in Mazar-e-Sharif, killing seven foreign employees and sparking five days of rioting across Afghanistan that left 22 people dead and at least 150 injured.

Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah would later put a $2.4 million bounty on Jone's head.

On Sunday, Germany barred Jones from entering the country, with Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle reportedly saying "hate preachers have no business being in Germany."

In 2011 the British Home Secretary also barred Jones from entering the UK “for the public good” after the pastor was invited to attend a rally by the far-right English Defense League.—www.shafaqna.com/English

Source: RT

SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) — Last month, Terry Jones (the “Burn a Qur’an Day” guy)hanged President Barack Obama in effigy on the front lawn of Dove World Outreach Center, the Gainesville church where he was the pastor until late last year. It earned him a few calls from the Secret Service and an IRS complaint that said his church’s tax-exempt status should be revoked because the church was participating in obvious political activism.

He told New Times the effigy represented “death — of course, not to him. To his political career” and that the black guy hanging from a gallows wasn’t meant to carry any racial undertones.

Now, he’s upped the ante: Terry Jones has dug a grave for Barack Obama.

“Dr Terry Jones says Obama Dead in 2012,” reads a statement sent by Jones’ political organization, Stand Up America. He’s using the same out that he did with the gallows: It’s a metaphor, man.

“Dr. Terry Jones calls for the death of Obama’s presidency in 2012. America cannot afford another four years of being lied to, and stolen from,” it reads. “In 2012, vote Obama out of the White House and bring a death to Obama’s political career.”

And, if you look really closely, the fine print reveals that the grave isn’t technically for Obama but for his presidency:

Jones also posted a YouTube video explaining the move; other than that he’s standing next to a tombstone with the president’s name on it, his points are pretty sane: He faults Obama for not bringing troops home from the Middle East, for not closing Guantanamo Bay, and for being soft on immigration. Then, though, it gets a little dicey:

“He has closed his eyes to the problem that we have in America with illegals. Twenty million illegals,” Jones said. “The illegals and the Hispanics make up the largest prison population — they are only outnumbered by the blacks. They greatly exceed all other races. We must put an end to President Obama’s political career.”

In case you accidentally think Jones is correct, don’t: In addition to the obvious fallacy in blaming Obama for brown people going to jail, the rate at which Obama is deporting illegal immigrants far exceeds the rate of George W. Bush – his annual average is double that of Bush’s first term and 30 percent higher than Bush’s eight-year average. Sure, freak out about his DREAM Act executive order thing, but don’t go thinking Obama isn’t chucking immigrants out of the country.

In addition, there aren’t “20 million illegals” — it peaked in 2007 at 12 million, and the rate at which they’re entering dropped 70 percent between 2007 and 2009, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

But forget about facts — this is about killing Obama(‘s presidency). Also running for president and hosting “International Judge Muhammad Day” on September 11.

“Let us learn, never again to vote for someone based upon the color of his skin,” Jones said. “Let us put this year a deadening blow, a death to Obama’s presidency. Thank you.” — www.shafaqna.com/english/