Several days after a controversial anti-Islamic YouTube movie triggered anti-American protests in some Muslim nations, the video is still being viewed by many internet users in Nigeria.
The protests, which started in Libya, then spread to the Middle East, China, Britain, Germany, and Australia began yesterday in northern Nigeria.
All efforts in the last few days to get the Information Minister Labaran Maku’s response proved futile as he didn’t pick his calls or reply texts. Press Secretary to the minister, Joseph Mutah, who said he will get back to us with the minister’s response is also yet to do so. Reports said Google, which owns YouTube, is censoring the video in India and Indonesia, and has already blocked it in Egypt and Libya, where United States Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were k*lled.
It is uncertain whether or not the Nigerian government has directed Google to restrict internet users in Nigeria from accessing this video, as no response has been received from the information ministry.
The actress who claims she was duped into starring in the anti-Islam movie “Innocence of Muslims” just LOST her battle in court -- a judge just refused to force YouTube to yank the film. Cindy Lee Garcia filed a lawsuit against YouTube and producer Nakoula Basseley Nakoula – aka Sam Bacile claiming at the time of filming, she believed she was acting in a “historical Arabian Desert adventure film.”
All efforts in the last few days to get the Information Minister Labaran Maku’s response proved futile as he didn’t pick his calls or reply texts. Press Secretary to the minister, Joseph Mutah, who said he will get back to us with the minister’s response is also yet to do so. Reports said Google, which owns YouTube, is censoring the video in India and Indonesia, and has already blocked it in Egypt and Libya, where United States Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were k*lled.
It is uncertain whether or not the Nigerian government has directed Google to restrict internet users in Nigeria from accessing this video, as no response has been received from the information ministry.
The actress who claims she was duped into starring in the anti-Islam movie “Innocence of Muslims” just LOST her battle in court -- a judge just refused to force YouTube to yank the film. Cindy Lee Garcia filed a lawsuit against YouTube and producer Nakoula Basseley Nakoula – aka Sam Bacile claiming at the time of filming, she believed she was acting in a “historical Arabian Desert adventure film.”
When the film was released, Cindy claimed it had been “changed grotesquely” to “make it appear that Ms. Garcia voluntarily performed in a hateful anti-Islamic production.”
Garcia claimed her voice had been dubbed in the movie to include lines that insulted the Muslim prophet Muhammad, which she never uttered.
But yesterday, an L.A. judge denied her request for an emergency injunction that would have required YouTube to remove the film from its site. The judge found Garcia’s claims against YouTube are without merit.
Before her hearing, Cindy addressed the media, saying her family’s lives had been threatened since the film’s release, which is why she sought the injunction.
Garcia said, “My whole life has been turned upside down.”
Garcia said YouTube should be required to take the movie down because it will cause more problems in the Middle East and for her own life.
During the media conference, Garcia’s lawyer says the actress has been subjected to public mortification on a worldwide scale.
“It’s degrading, demoralizing ... it affected our ambassador, our Navy SEALs ... I think America needs to stand behind us on this. What [the director] did was wrong. So many people were affected by it.”
Daily Trust
