The Spark that Re-Ignited a Smoldering Fire in Libya

I refuse to even link to this movie trailer on youtube, much less embed it...so if you are interested in watching, you can search "Muhammad Movie Trailer" on youtube or google.

Right now it has 11,440 dislikes and 4212 likes.

The man responsible for this movie and the trailer...which set off rioters in Libya and resulted in the death of 4 Americans including our Ambassador there, Chris Stevens...is named Sam Bacile.

He went into hiding as soon as he heard of the reaction in Libya and the deaths that resulted...and there is scant information available about the man up to that point.

NPR reports:

A filmmaker based in California went into hiding after a YouTube trailer of his movie attacking Islam's prophet Muhammad sparked angry assaults by ultra-conservative Muslims on U.S. missions in Egypt and Libya. The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three American members of his staff were killed.
The U.S. Consulate in Benghazi was in flames during a protest by an armed group angry over a film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

Speaking by phone Tuesday from an undisclosed location, writer and director Sam Bacile remained defiant, saying Islam is a cancer and that the 56-year-old intended his film to be a provocative political statement condemning the religion.

Another article at NPR gives the following:

The bottom line is that we know very little about Sam Bacile, the man who says he produced the film and who says "Sam Bacile" is his name. The Wall Street Journal caught up with Bacile before he went into hiding.

According to the Journal, Bacile raised "$5 million from 100 Jewish donors" and he produced the film using 60 actors and 45 crew members.

Bacile told the Journal that he made the film to expose "Islam as a hateful religion."

"Islam is a cancer," he told the paper. "The movie is a political movie. It's not a religious movie."

In another interview, Bacile told the Associated Press that he was a real estate developer and an Israeli Jew, but Israeli authorities told the wire service they have no records of him being a citizen.

Our library did not turn up any footprint for Bacile. They found no property, phone, licenses nor court records. And Bacile had not made news until today.

Bacile repeated what he told the Journal to the AP.

"The U.S. lost a lot of money and a lot of people in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we're fighting with ideas," he said. The AP story also points out that Bacile may have been warned this film would be controversial and perhaps even incite violence.

"You're going to be the next Theo van Gogh," Steve Klein, a consultant on the film told the AP he told Bacile. Van Gogh, the AP explains, was the Dutch filmmaker who was killed after making a movie perceived as insulting to Islam.

Daily News reiterates:

Sam Bacile, whose crude depiction of the Prophet Muhammad led to the deaths of four Americans at the hands of Libyan mob, is not a citizen of the Jewish state, the Associated Press reported.

Bacile has identified himself as an Israeli Jew in interviews, but Israeli diplomats said they have no record of anybody with that name being a citizen.

That revelation raised more questions about the identity of Bacile, who also claims to be a real estate developer in California.

Records show no evidence of a 50-something Sam Bacile residing in the Golden State or having a real estate license. He is now in hiding.

Before Bacile went underground, he tossed more verbal bombs at already angry Muslims and defended his film, “Innocence of Muslims,” as a “political movie.”

“Islam is a cancer, period,” Bacile told the AP. “The U.S. lost a lof money and a lot of people in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we’re fighting with ideas.”

Among the “ideas” Bacile promotes in his movie is that Muhammad is a philandering fraud who talks to donkeys and sanctions rape and child sexual abuse.

Bacile said he was outraged by the deaths of U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three others, but insisted he had no blood on his hands.

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

Bacile said he wrote and directed the $5 million movie, which he said was financed with the help of more than 100 Jewish donors. He did not identify any of them.

Steve Klein, a consultant on the film, said they fully expected the movie would make Muslims mad.

“We went into this knowing this was probably going to happen,” he said.

So...not only is Sam Bacile not a dual citizen...he might not even be an American citizen...no one knows at this point. The last article seemed to be saying that Bacile might have family of his own in Egypt.

He probably knew what was going to happen? But he did it anyway. And now says there is no blood on his hands?

And yet...he also states that it is NOT a religious film but a political one...that attacks the religion of Islam for being a 'cancer'...and that his intentions were, as he himself stated, according to reports...to make a provocative political film condemning the religion of Islam.

I watched the trailer. It is appalling...on the level of Blackface portrayals of the late 18th and early 19th century in America.

To condemn all who practice Islam...because of what the Taliban believes and does in the name of that religion...is just like someone condemning all of traditional Christianity in American because of what the KKK believes in and does.

Take it for what its worth as it is coming from CNN, and could just be political tactics but here ya go

But U.S. sources told CNN on Wednesday that the Benghazi attack was planned, and the attackers used the protest outside the consulate as a diversion. The sources could not say whether the attackers instigated the protest or merely took advantage of it, and they say they don't believe Stevens was specifically targeted. Attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya Attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya Protesters storm U.S. Embassy walls Protesters storm U.S. Embassy walls Obama: 'Justice will be done' Libya: Consulate attack 'cowardice' A senior U.S. official familiar with the details of the attack said a rocket-propelled grenade set the building ablaze, leaving the Americans facing a fire inside and attackers outside. Stevens and the others who died were separated from the rest of the staff while trying to escape to the roof of the building and succumbed to smoke inhalation, the senior official said.

CNN

Originally posted by queenannie38

Bacile said he was outraged by the deaths of U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three others, but insisted he had no blood on his hands.

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

“We went into this knowing this was probably going to happen,” he said.

The movie has been online since July. How come the attack happens exactly on September 11?

excellent thread friend! i tried to open peoples eyes to the madness,and repercussions of this ridiculous 'film' earlier today,but i was attacked at all angles.
i even asked what people would do if the same kind of film was made about asian,black or even white folks.
the stupidest answers i got was 'they make those films all the time and no one gets killed'!!!
there are a fine collection of idiots on this site,and it surprises me not that there was unfortunate death as a result of this film-released from america,by a rich jewish man!
WHAT THE HELL DID ALL OF YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN!!!
stop the real terrorists!

reply to post by Telos


Beat me to the punch.

But maybe his citizenship is up for grabs and it just took them this long to organize?

Maybe they did it to have a larger impact, what with 9/11 being an extremely sensitive day to some of us American's?

That film is the best he could do with 5 million bones? Me thinks he should find something he's good at before dedicating that much effort into something so lousy.

Also, if he believes everything his film is about...why hide? Man up and face your critics! Stick to your convictions!

This guy could not be a bigger puss.

reply to post by DIRTYDONKEY


I do believe that Chris Stevens wasn't targeted...the story is, that when he heard about the riot, he went to the Embassy to help people escape. He was killed during his efforts.

It might very well have been planned...because it might have taken some time to garner indignant supporters and plan, etc. 9/11 was coming up...so viola.

The entire movie only had one showing, I read, to an almost empty theater in California, I think it was.
But the trailer was posted on youtube on July 2 by 'Sam Bacile.'

It still doesn't excuse our own ignorance in the US about the factions of Islam...but we are ignorant about things in our own culture...too many distractions...the amount of hate since 9/11 toward ALL Muslims regardless of their beliefs shows ignorance and hate in the same degree as what so many are all too eager to condemn in Muslims.

It isn't helping the situation at all.

No matter what led up to it...the facts remain. A film was made to provoke Muslims and it worked. 4 Americans are dead.

It is shameful.

Possibly an Iranian false flag to keep the US too busy to help Israel if Israel attacks Iran?

reply to post by Telos


Well, who can say?

Other than 9/11 is a highly charged date for many people in the world.
Why was 9/11 chosen in the first place, back in 2001.

911 - emergency responders

This is an emergency.

Why doesn't someone just make a blasphemous movie about Jesus and we all get on with our lives?

reply to post by reficul


Exactly.

Inciting riots and hiding. Terrorism at its finest in the 'free world,' so-called.

Originally posted by MmmPie
That film is the best he could do with 5 million bones? Me thinks he should find something he's good at before dedicating that much effort into something so lousy.

Also, if he believes everything his film is about...why hide? Man up and face your critics! Stick to your convictions!

This guy could not be a bigger puss.

Yeah from what I saw on youtube this film looks like a b-movie...

waste of money

reply to post by reficul


I don't think it is a "stupid answer" when people say there are plenty of hateful films out on the internet about almost every ethnic group, yet Muslims seem to be the only group that goes out and kills people when a film comes out that insults them or their religion.

You don't see Jews burning embassies every time a staterun media in Middle Easter countries produce anti-semetic stuff. You don't see Africans burning down embassies every time some racist white goof balls put up a video on youtube making stupid jokes about watermelon and grape soda. You don't see Chinese people burning down the American embassies every time some American complains about China taking jobs away from the US.

I am not saying all Muslims are bad, but there seems to be a signficant number of them that are hypersensitive when it comes to criticism. They are hypocritical about it, too boot. First, those same people who were rioting over people offending Islams are the same people that bash other religions like Christianity, Judaism, etc. Second, those people are basically saying, "I am going to burn your embassy down in the name of my religion because you insulted my religion by calling it violent."

Oh, Goodie...

I was just waiting for some to post their denial in which blame would be redirected. This Dutch movie is crap. Horribly written, horribly acted, horribly directed. It's not even worthy a C- rating and would have died a quick and worthy death in obscurity [Like it deserves]

Yet, because of the hot headed mob mentality it has drawn huge amounts of attention to it.

Good going

Meh.....

reply to post by JIMC5499


We are already too busy.

Israel knows this as well as Iran. But this isn't about either one of those countries...it isn't about countries but about human rights.

We all have the right to believe what we will. We have the responsibility to educate ourselves and act prudently and also with respect.

Humanity needs to grow up...and beyond the borders falsely imposed by politics and naturally imposed by religion.

The bottom line is that all human beings have one thing in common and that is that we share the same home. And we are all human. Once we recognize that, we will be on our way to some progress. For now...it's bad.

We shouldn't even acknowledge Islam as a religion in my opinion if this is the kind of stuff that happens because of it.

reply to post by Lysergic


True, there may be some whackos out there, but Christians for the most part are a tolerant bunch. If I made a movie accusing Jesus of being a genocidal pedophile who kicked puppies and had sex with fam animals, I might lose a couple of friends, but I would not create an international incident. If I just draw a picture of Muhammed....

reply to post by hotpinkurinalmint


Did you watch the trailer?

It is far more than just saying Islam is violent...it says Muhammed was a pedophile and shows people with poorly smeared brown make up on their faces...just portraying Muhammed is a no-no in Islam...why can't we respect that?

Do they not deserve respect because we think we deserve it?

Does that entitlement come unconditionally so that we expect to outright insult other religions and their followers without there being some sort of consequence?

Ignorance is fixable. Stupidity is not.

reply to post by queenannie38


Appeasement

reply to post by hotpinkurinalmint


Well...then why don't you?

Put that theory in action...and while you are at it...make sure that you credit the movie to a Muslim...or a Jew...maybe even a Buddhist?

Don't forget to include the part about how many Priests in the Catholic Church have been found to be pedophiles...I would say 'convicted' but that's a new idea that is just now taking hold.

And I think you should throw in a guest shot of GOD...be sure and get Oprah for the part. See how that goes over with the KKK and Westboro Baptist.