Anti-Islamic Film Causes Global Shockwaves

By Pamela Mortimer

Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders has gained his fifteen minutes of fame through a fifteen minute film released over the weekend. According to Wilder, the film’s intention was "to shake off the creeping tyranny of Islamicization". Due to a firestorm of negative and often violent protests, the film was pulled from the UK-based website LiveLeak.com due to security concerns. As of Monday, the film is once again available on the website. Wilders, 41, had decided to release the film via the Internet after he failed to find a television station to air the piece.

The film’s title, "Fitna" translates to "Ordeal" in Arabic and features footage of terrorist activities such as 9/11, train bombings in Madrid and the murder of Dutch film director Theo van Gogh. Also included in the film are verses from the Koran.

On Saturday, the European Union released a statement saying the film serves no other purpose than to "inflame hatred".

On Sunday, Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith called the film "highly offensive."

"It is an obvious attempt to generate discord between faith communities," Smith said. "I strongly reject the ideas contained in the film and deplore its release."

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the film saying there is no justification for the incitement of violence or "hate speech".

Reuters reported that the Dutch Ambassador has been summoned to Tehran to discuss the film with Iranian officials. The rotating president of the European Union, a senior diplomat from Slovenia, was also summoned to the ministry in Tehran.

Jordanian lawmakers have taken more severe diplomatic measures and have demanded that their government cut all ties with the Netherlands. In a 110 seat parliament, 53 lawmakers have also called for the government to discharge the Dutch ambassador.

Some viewers have supported the release of Wilders’ film. "If Western institutions are not willing to take risks, then our lives as free societies are coming to an end," said Robert Spencer, the director of JihadWatch.org.

In a statement made in December, Wilders told FOXNews.com that he believes Western culture is "better than the retarded Islamic cultures", and contends that 99 percent of the world's intolerance is rooted in the Koran and the Islamic religion.

"People who watch the movie will see that the Koran is very much alive today, leading to the destruction of everything we in the Western world stand for, which is respect and tolerance," said Wilders, the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom.

There are many who claim that the film manipulates various elements and symbols of Islam and is "a calculated attempt to offend Muslims".

"It's a hatchet job," said Yvonne Haddad, a professor of Muslim-Christian relations at Georgetown University. "In the Koran there are verses that are very accommodating, very open, very pluralistic to other religions. . . . It was not a balanced representation," she said.

Despite their disapproval, European leaders have defended Wilders’ right to freedom of speech. An EU statement reiterated that freedom of speech is "part of our values and traditions". The EU has also called on Muslims to react in a peaceful manner. Some Muslim leaders have also supported the request for restraint.