By Afshain Afzal

In a tragic incident that left deep dent in the effort to bring the world communities on the path of tolerance and acceptability, a group of evil minded persons tried to push Muslims to a stage of retaliation by giving publicity to a blasphemous film produced last year. In another incident in the Libyan city of Benghazi, a member from diplomatic corps, Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, and three other individuals died due to suffocation while at least 12 Americans received minor burns injuries, which left a deep sense of grief and sorrow for many? The fact cannot be denied that none among those killed in Benghazi received bullet or grenade wounds and died as a result of fear-phobia and suffocation due to smoke. Arab witnesses at the site of incident narrated stories that all the American security and intelligence personnel ran away from the scene leaving the poor Ambassador and a few others alone to take refuge in Safe House, which was especially designed to carry out clandestine operations and served as hideout for agents. However, before they could muster up enough courage to reach to their car they fainted. The video clips also showed that none of the protesters set on fire Consulate or Safe House in Benghazi.

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US President Barack Hussain Obama in his statement, immediately after deaths of US Ambassador to Libya and three other non-diplomat Americans, said “Make no mistake; we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the killers who attacked our people.” Media reported that on the orders of US President two US warships sailed towards the Libyan coast on 12 September 2012 while surveillance aircrafts were hovering suspected areas in eastern Libya, especially strongholds of martyred Libyan leader Moamer Qadaffi.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  As per the input USS Laboon and USS McFaul, both destroyersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ class ships were observed off theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Libyan shore. However, it needs to be pointed out the US and Indian Navies fleets are already deployed at safe distance from the Libyan waters since months to ensure pro-west government is not ousted in Libya. As a show off, US President also announced to send a detachment of 50 Marines to secure the American Embassy at Tripoli but he failed to mention that where were US troops, already present in Libya.

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It is quite encouraging to note that Libyan security forces were trained enough to ensure evacuation of all the Consulate officials. However, Ambassador and some others, who were not from the diplomatic corps, flee to hideout. The fire set by Marines in Consulate produced a lot of smoke which did not allow another team of US marines to evacuate Ambassador and US nationals. So there is no lapse on the part of Libyan security forces, which is also evident from the video footages over Internet. In this regard, US President also confirmed, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Libyan security personnel fought back against the attackers alongside Americans. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Libyans helped some of our diplomats find safety, and they carried Ambassador Stevens’ body to the hospital.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One wonders, the American guards and Marines on security duty flee the consulate so how can they fight alongside Libyan?

According to another local guard, the US Marine Guards themselves set the Consulate on fire, after they analyzed the situation was getting out of control. He disclosed on the condition of anonymity that other than the personnel from diplomatic corps, Consulate in Benghazi was housing at least 32 illegal American, who were involved in arms and terrorist training to Libyan groups. Due to the same reasons, Libyan Security forces failed to control foreign sponsored armed men who took part in last year’s uprising against government and convince them to lay down their weapons. He also disclosed that when the protesters had even not started scaling the walls and gates of the consulate, Marine started executing emergency plan for the destruction of all classified material and set the basement and other places on fire. The very act created smoke and choked the atmosphere, which caused deaths. If we recall, a similar situation arose when the North Koreans crossed over the 38^th parallel in 25 June 1950.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Marines were sent to destroy Embassy motor pool to prevent their possible use. The Embassy staff screened and burned classified material. The amount of material was enormous so the Marines used furnaces in the Embassy basement.

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In another incident which is being linked with death of four persons in Benghazi, US and western media intentionally give publicity to a blasphemous film and propagated that an Israeli- American calling himself Sam Bacile as saying he made the film on a $5 million budget with the help of 100 Jews, but no record of such a person has been found. All the Muslims, Christians and people from other religions were shocked over the film and condemned it in strongest words. Where, the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood as well as all the Muslims throughout the world condemned 11 September attack on the Consulate, which led to the death of the US Ambassador, they at the same time urged western governments to take a tougher line on those who insulted Islam. Los Angeles Times, reported that a man who identified himself as an Israeli-American filmmaker claimed in telephone calls to news outlets Tuesday that he made the movie with backing from wealthy Jewish donors, but there were indications Wednesday that the name and story he gave were false and that the movie was tied to a group of Middle Eastern Christians who live in the U.S. and hold extreme anti-Islamic views.

It is on record that Cindy Lee Garcia of Bakersfield, California, who also took part in the filmƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ disclosed, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The film was shot in the summer of 2011 inside a church near Los Angeles, with actors standing in front of a “green screen,” used to depict background images. About 50 actors were involvedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In fact, western agents prepared a stage to injure the sentiments of Muslims while sectarian representatives like Noman Benotman, who was active member Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and presently serving at based at the Quilliam Foundation in London are carrying out propaganda that attack was from Al Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri as revenge. Ironically, same people are also blaming Omar Abdul Rahman Brigades and Egyptian living in Derna area as a prime suspect in the Benghazi attack. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are the same people, who leveled allegation of August 2012- twin blasts, on the occasion eve of the anniversary of the fall of Tripoli to rebel fighters last year, on members of Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic groups.

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US or any of other western nation has so far not condemned the blasphemous video film against Islam, however, they did not miss the opportunity to blame Muslims for the deaths of a US Ambassadors and three illegal US intelligence agents. No doubt, the protests by the Muslim and Christian masses, through the world, were peaceful but when security forces applied coercive methods including firing bullets and tear gas shells, the protests turned violent in some places. When US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the protests in Bengazi were the action of “a savage and small group,” she totally forgot to mention that Washington termed similar protests against Qadaffi in front of presidential place in Tripoli in 2011. as voice of the masses.

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Ms Clinton in a separate statement said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-To us, to me personally, this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage. But as I said yesterday there is no justification, none at all, for responding to this video with violence. We condemn the violence that has resulted in the strongest terms and we greatly appreciate that many Muslims in United States and around the world have spoken out on this issueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚She said, I know it is hard for some people to understand why United States cannot or does not just prevent these kinds of reprehensible videos for ever seeing in the light of day. I would not cut in todayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s world with todayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s technologies that is impossible. But even if it were possible, our country does have a long tradition of free expression which is enshrined in our constitution and our law. And we do not stop individual citizens from expressing their views, no matter how distasteful they may beƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

One wonders if this is the case why US and western nations are pressurizing and interfering in Policy Formulation, working of Text Book Boards and syllabus of educational institutions and religious Madarassas in Pakistan, focusing on interfaith harmony. We have also incidents of burning of hundreds of copies Holy Quraan US military personnel in at the NATO controlled Bagram Airbase.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the latest development Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Lebanon on 14 September on three days visit. US, Israel and India are trying to create a balance in Libya and other countries a demographic balance between, Sunnis, Shias, Christians and seculars. Washington wants to create Iraq like situation with an aim sectarian rift between Sunni, Shias and Christians. Reportedly, foreign agencies would carryout operation in areas where Egyptians and Arabs from other countries are settled and would try to settle Shias and Christians there. In this conspiracy settlements from Lebanon will also be carried out.

The drama at Benghazi, Cairo and elsewhere, which gained momentum and attracted other Muslims to protest, should not remain as a riddle. On the first hand, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Mr Tarek Mitri, a Lebanon Christian, as his new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on 12 September 2012. Mr Mitri is deadly against Egyptian Muslims and Muslim Brotherhood. He openly expresses his view that they do not particularly care for the basic rights such as religious freedom. The other event is election of new Prime Minister of Libya, as Mustafa Abushagur who was a professor at University of Alabama in Huntsville from 1985 until 2002 and is very dear and near to Washington. He is also a member of National Front Party, an offshoot of anti-Qadaffi movement. How one can over look that Egypt is a major non-NATO ally.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, the US President in an interview with Telemundo said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I don’t think that we would consider them an ally, but we do not consider them an enemy.” Hosni Mubarak was top US ally in the Middle East along with Israel. Legally, Egypt is still a major “Non-NATO Ally as not only the country has its combatants in Afghanistan placed at Bagram Base but is also running a military hospital in Afghanistan since 2003.

One wonders, Washington has developed a habit of blaming everyone on the basis of their association with Islam. US has openly claimed that even if they have ability to block all the blasphemous films form Internet, they will not do so in order to facilitate American tradition of free expression which is enshrined in their constitution and law. One feels pity for such Muslims who failed to condemn blasphemous attempt to insult Islam. It has been clearly given in Hadith as well as Holy Quraan that unless Muslims consider Rasool Allah, Hazrat Muhammed Sal Allah Ho Alhe Wasalam more dearer than their parents, children and their own lives, they are not a Momin.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  For the west their constitution and law is sacred to them but for the Muslims, such things hardly matters, otherwise Libya has no non-Muslim communities and the general masses want implementation of Sharia but Washington would never like any Muslim country to come out as an Islamic state.

afshainafzal@yahoo.com