Egypt Courts Sentence 8 To Death Over Anti-Islam Film

Eight people directly or indirectly involved in the making or promoting of the anti-Islam film "Innocence of Muslims"- the video that sent the Muslim world into paroxysms of violence, and was initially blamed (by our government) for the deaths in Benghazi- have been sentenced to death for blasphemy by an Egyptian court. Yes, seven Egyptian Christian Copts, and even American Pastor Terry Jones of Gainesville, Florida were sentenced in absentia.

Jones, who leads a fringe Christian congregation of no more than 50, said in response to the sentencing that it "shows the true face of Islam."

"we can speak out here in America,” Jones said. “That freedom means that we criticize government leadership, religion even at times. Islam is not a religion that tolerates any type of criticism.”

And he's right. They've proved exactly what he's been rallying against with his Quran burnings.

Others sentenced were, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (aka Mark Basseley Youssef, aka Sam Bacile) the producer of the film who is back in jail, for another year, in the U.S. for probation violation. The guy was a scam artist, and all those aliases he used before they finally tracked him down: not a good thing. Then there's Morris Sadek, who claims he had nothing to do with the film other than post it on his website. He too is a Coptic Christian activist living in the Chantilly, Virginia. Sadek said of the ruling:

“ [it] shows the world that the Muslim Brotherhood regime wants to shut up all the Coptic activists, so no one can demand Copts’ rights in Egypt.”

He too is right.

Not much is known about the other five defendants, and/or how they were involved with the film.

 They include two who work with Sadek at a radical Coptic group in the U.S. that has called for an independent Coptic state, a priest who hosts TV programs from the U.S. and a lawyer living in Canada who has previously sued the Egyptian state over riots in 2000 that left 21 Christians dead.

The other person is a woman who converted to Christianity and is a staunch critic of Islam.

Calling for an independent Coptic State warrants the death penalty?  Not surprising, I guess.

The arrest warrants for the eight individuals were issued back in September, and according to Egypt's official news media:

.. the court found the defendants guilty of harming national unity, insulting and publicly attacking Islam and spreading false information - charges that carry the death sentence.

Apparently, there could be a reprieve when a final verdict (after review) is pronounced on January 29, 2013.

Good luck carrying out the sentence, since none of the accused live in Egypt.

Anti-Islam Film Directed by X-Rated Director Alan Roberts?

As if the whole anti-Islam "Innocence of Muslims" saga couldn't get any more bizarre (or confusing), it does.

First of all we were told the director was an Israeli Jew by the man calling himself Sam Bacile. Then we come to find out that 'director' Bacile was not an Israeli Jew after all, but rather ex-con Coptic Christian Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. But Nakoula insisted he was only involved in the logistics, and now it turns out he was possibly telling the truth when he claimed he wasn't the director of the tacky film. According to Gawker, the movie- that we have since come to realize was actually dubbed in post production to add Islamic references- was actually directed by a  d-rated, "has been" director best known for several softcore x-rated films from the 1970s and 80s. Although this too could eventually change.

65-year-old Alan Roberts aka Robert Brownell directed "The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood", and several others, but had more success as a film editor. If he did indeed direct this, I'm sure the notoriety wasn't quite what he had hoped for his career; because even though he was apparently duped like the majority of people involved in the production, when word gets out to the Muslim world, you know there will be a price on his head.

An Alan Roberts is listed as director on the film's casting calls and call sheets from the summer of 2011, back when it was innocuously called Desert Warriors..

Castmembers and crew told us yesterday that Roberts was brought on by producer "Sam Bacile" aka Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, and he muddled his way through a disorganized three-month shoot.

This is the same Alan Roberts listed in IMDB as the director of a handful of softcore porn movies and other low-budget films, according to acquaintances we spoke to today.

"I am sure it was the same Alan Roberts, as I remember him speaking about this project," said filmmaker David A. Prior, a longtime acquaintance of Roberts, in an email. Roberts is listed as a producer on two of Prior's films, 2008's Zombie Wars and 2007's Lost at War.

"He did work on [Innocence of Muslims]," confirmed a man who was Roberts' business partner in a post-production facility he ran, who asked not to be named.
The backstory behind how Roberts became director of Innocence of Muslims is still unclear, like so many things about the film. We've tried to reach Roberts, but his business associate told us he "turned off his phone" soon after protests broke out over the film and is laying low. But he said Roberts was "non-political" and did not have any apparent anti-Islam feelings. Roberts may have been duped by the film's producer in much the same way as the rest of the cast and crew. They believed they were participating in a period piece about ancient Egypt and had no idea the movie would be edited and dubbed into a piece of Islamophobic propaganda..

The rest at Gawker.

Note: "Desert Warriors" is not listed on imdb.com

The Real Man Behind The Anti-Islam Movie "The Innocence of Muslims"?

"Sam Bacile" writer/director of the tasteless, cheesy  anti-Islam movie "The Innocence of Muslims" that spawned the violence in Egypt, Libya and now Yemen, is more than likely 55-year-old Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, an Egyptian Christian Copt living in Southern California. Although he claims he merely "provided logistics" for the movie initially called 'Desert Warriors', and that he's not the "Israeli/Jewish" director "Sam Bacile", it's more than likely he's fibbing. Apparently, the cellphone the AP dialed for an interview with Sam Bacile was traced back to Nakoula's address. Oops.

It also turns out that Nakoula has been a very bad boy, aside from producing a piece of crap film that has set the Middle East ablaze, not that it takes much to do that. In 2010, Nakoula pleaded no contest to federal bank fraud charges. He had to pay back over $790,000, and was sentenced to 21 months in jail. Prosecutor Jennifer Leigh Williams said Nakoula had a major "check-kiting scheme" going on, which he managed by using stolen identities and Social Security numbers.

 "You try to get the money out of the bank before the bank realizes they are drawn from a fraudulent account. There basically is no money."

Nakoula is obviously of questionable character, so I suppose it's not surprising that he had the brazen gall to claim he (as Bacile) was an Israeli Jew.  Since Coptic Christians are terribly persecuted in Egypt, I can understand the need to keep his identity under wraps, but to identify himself as another religion, particularly one that is so vilified in that region, is unconscionable.  In fact, protesters in Yemen were calling for "Death to America", and "Death to Israel" thanks to Nakoula.

More evidence that indicates a Coptic/Christian connection, not an Israeli one, is the fact that the film consultant Steve Klein,  a Christian, has been involved with the Copts for years.  Jim Horn, another activist working with Coptic groups said about Klein:

"He's been helping them to stand up for themselves against Islamic terror in Egypt. That's what he does."

Then you have wacko evangelical Christian Florida Pastor Terry Jones, who has promoted the video, and  Morris Sadek- another Christian Copt, posted the 13-minute trailer on his Facebook page a week a week or so ago.

It's all still much of a mystery, including why the video was only promoted right before 9/11 of this year, when the movie was filmed last summer.  More of the truth will eventually be revealed.

Sources: Yahoo, GuardianUK

UPDATE: According to the Daily Beast, Nakoula was also meth manufacturer (spending a year in jail for that back in 1997), and a registered Democrat from 2002 to 2008. He then switched to American Independent.

Alleged "Anti-Islam" Film Had Islamic References Overdubbed- Original Title "Desert Warriors"

The story surrounding "The Innocence of Muslims- the supposed anti-Islam movie that prompted the protests in Egypt, and got the U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and 3 other Americans in Libya killed- is becoming more and more bizarre.

Buzz Feed has an article about how all the references to Islam in the 13 minute trailer were overdubbed, so I forced myself to watch it again- with that in mind- and sure enough, every single reference to either Mohammed or the Quran is definitely dubbed over.

Buzz Feed also seems to think that the movie is sourced from different videos, but the film was definitely shot last summer, and according to one of the actresses none of the cast and crew had any idea that it was an anti-Islam film.

Gawker interviewed Cindy Lee Garcia who says she was absolutely appalled with the final cut.  She told Gawker that they were all led to believe they were shooting a movie entitled "Desert Warriors", about the life and times of Egyptians 2,000 years ago.

"It was going to be a film based on how things were 2,000 years ago," Garcia said. "It wasn't based on anything to do with religion, it was just on how things were run in Egypt. There wasn't anything about Muhammed or Muslims or anything."

And "Mohammed" was actually called "Master George" in the film.

For example, at 9:03 in the trailer, Garcia berates her husband, who wants to send their daughter to Muhammed: "Is your Muhammed a child molester?" she says in the final product. But the words are dubbed over what she actually said. The line in the script—and the line Garcia gave during filming—was, "is your God a child molester," Garcia told us today.

Garcia, who filmed for three days last summer, also said "Bacile" told her he was from Egypt, not from Israel as he now claims.  After all hell broke loose, Garcia contacted "Sam":

"I called Sam and said, 'Why did you do this?' and he said, 'I'm tired of radical Islamists killing each other. Let other actors know it's not their fault.'"

She plans on suing him, as probably the rest of the 80-strong cast and crew plan on doing.

What seems obvious is that "Sam" planned on filming an anti-Islam 'spoof' without the crew and actors' knowledge, knowing he could make those changes in post production through dubbing.  They are not amused.

CNN published a statement by all 80 members of the production:

The entire cast and crew are extremely upset and feel taken advantage of by the producer. We are 100% not behind this film and were grossly misled about its intent and purpose. We are shocked by the drastic re-writes of the script and lies that were told to all involved. We are deeply saddened by the tragedies that have occurred.

Gawker also posts a link to the 2011 casting call, that was originally found on Craigslist.  It says they were looking for SAG and non-SAG actors, but it seems unlikely that union members were involved given the caliber of acting, and the fact that this was a non-paying gig. Cindy Lee is listed on imdb.com but the movie is not. And she's non union.

UPDATE: The 13 Minute Anti-Islam Film Trailer That Sparked The Latest Muslim Carnage

UPDATE 9/12/12: The true nationality of filmmaker "Sam Bacile", and the amount spent on the film has been called into question.  The Israel government have never heard of him, nor is there any record of him in California. Furthermore, according to the film's consultant Steve Klein, Bacile is not even a real person and definitely not Jewish or Israeli. The name is actually a pseudonym for a group of Evangelical and Coptic Christians from that region. The Atlantic Wire has more information.  If true, and I'm sure we haven't heard the last of it, trying to pawn off the controversy on an 'Israeli Jew' is reprehensible and totally unforgivable. If you are going to make an anti-Islam film, then have the courage to own it. As if the Israelis don't have enough problems. Truly shameful!

Original Post
The anti-Islam film that sparked the protests in both Egypt and Libya along with the murder of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, was not- as previously reported by major news outlets- a U.S. Coptic Christian production. It was allegedly written and directed by a 56-year-old California-based Israeli Jewish filmmaker/real estate developer, Sam Bacile, who is now in hiding, who believes "Islam is a cancer".

"Innocence of Muslims" is an offensive, badly acted two-hour movie (if the 13 minute trailer below is any indication), that unbelievably cost $5 million to produce. In the 13 minutes Mohammed is exposed as a pedophile, womanizer, fraud and gay, among other things. Who knows what audience members have in store for them during the full two hours.

According to Washington Times, Bacile apologized for the death of Ambassador Stevens, but rightfully placed blame on the murdering thugs and the lack of security at the embassies.

“I feel the security system (at the embassies) is no good,” said Bacile. “America should do something to change it.”

And he's probably right. I don't recall there ever being more than a few marine guards on duty at one time at the embassies and consulates in the countries we lived in. Perhaps there are more stationed in a volatile region like the Middle East, and if there had been a warning the number would have increased, but certainly not enough to stave off an attack by a mob of angry Muslims. And apparently the local Libyan security officers bailed, like cowards, when the attack commenced.

I also blame the Islamist governments that are fostering and encouraging extremism in those countries, and were probably somehow complicit. How was a "safehouse" in Libya attacked without it being an inside job?

"It was supposed to be a secret place and we were surprised the armed groups knew about it. There was shooting," Sharif said. Two U.S. personnel were killed there, he said. Two other people were killed at the main consular building and between 12 and 17 wounded.

And how interesting that they chose 9/11 to demonstrate.  The film was shot last summer, so they had plenty of time to protest , but obviously chose this particular day for a reason.

Although the trailer is in English, it was also stupidly dubbed into Arabic to inspire all those violence-prone Arabs to action.

Obama and Clinton have condemned the killings: Obama calling it an "outrageous act", and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton placing the blame on a  "small savage group", not the people or government of Libya.  Savage? Yes. Small?  I doubt it. And talk about ingrates. We helped rid their country of a tyrant through training, weapons and money, and this is what we get in return?  Similarly, the Egyptians have received almost $2 billion in military and economic aid since 1979. I think that needs to stop. Now.

If the film was aiming at satire, it failed. Miserably. And offensive as it is, killing people over it is even more offensive.  These people are just proving what savages they are, and will only succeed in making Westerners less tolerant of their supremely intolerant religion. Some would like to excuse the actions of a few so-called extremists, but many of the Egyptian protesters were soccer fans, not your typical bearded Islamists. That is inexcusable. Killing people because you are offended is inexcusable.

I'm not sure how long the video will be available on Youtube, but here it is for now.




UPDATE 9/16/12:  You are not going to believe who they now think was the director of the movie, although considering the schlockiness you  might be able to guess.