Protests break out in a dozen moslem countries over film

Demonstrators in Tunisia Photo: Guardian

TUNISIA - Demonstrators have attacked the U. S Embassy in the capital, Tunis. There are reports of several clashes between the Tunisian police and demonstrators. Buildings were set alight and streets littered with stones and broken glass.

U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in Libya on Tuesday when demonstrators attacked embassy staff at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The bodies of the dead have been flown back to the U.S. and would be received by President Obama at Andrews Air Force Base. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,Vice President Biden and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will also attend the transfer of remains ceremony. 

HOW IT ALL STARTED?

The angry attacks broke out in over a dozen countries after Muslims in the Middle east and in North Africa saw an anti-Muslim film ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad had been posted on youtube in the U.S.

WHAT IS THE FILM ABOUT?

The film is reported to characterize the Prophet Mohammed as a womanizing buffoon.

An online trailer for the movie depicts Islam as a fraudulent religion bent on getting rid of nonbelievers. Cartoonish scenes show Mohammed as a womanizer, child molester and ruthless killer.

The film titled, "Desert Warrior" and describes is said to be a "historical Arabian Desert adventure film."

The Wall Street Journal identified the filmmaker as Sam Bacile who says he characterized his film as "a political effort to call attention to the hypocrisies of Islam."

WHAT'S NEXT?

News of the video, posted in July on YouTube, spread as Egyptian television recently aired segments and anti-Islam activists, including Egyptian-born Coptic Christian Morris Sadek, promoted it online.

Many Muslims find any depiction of Mohammed to be offensive  – a Danish newspaper's publication in 2005 of Mohammed caricatures triggered riots - and derogatory depictions of the prophet are considered by some to be worse.

WHAT AMERICAN WILL DO?

President Barack Obama said Wednesday that the United States will not waver in their commitment to see that justice is done for the terrible act – and make no mistake, justice will be done."

k. The drones are expected to gather intelligence that will be turned over to Libyan officials for strikes, the official said.

A senior defense official said the drones would be part of "a stepped-up, more focused search" for a particular insurgent cell that may have been behind the killings.

In June, a senior Libyan official told CNN that U.S. controllers were already flying the unmanned craft over suspected jihadist training camps in eastern Libya because of concerns about rising activity by al Qaeda and like-minded groups in the region.

Two U.S. Navy destroyers – the USS Laboon and the USS McFaul – are moving toward the coast of Libya, two U.S. officials told CNN. Both ships are equipped with tomahawk missiles that could be used if a strike was ordered.

About 50 U.S. Marines are headed to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, after the attack to beef up security in response to the attack, U.S. officials said Wednesday. The unit is specially trained to retake or guard diplomatic installations and other U.S. facilities in troubled regions.

The United States said it also would increase security at its embassies around the world.

WHAT HAS THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT SAID?

Libya's leaders apologized for the attack. Prime Minister Abdurrahim el-Keib called it a "cowardly, criminal act."

Some news culled from CNN.