Islam and the Freedom of Conscience — Page 89
~ 89 ~ Ottawa Citizen Newspaper Ottawa Muslim leader condemns violence over anti-Islamic film. BY CHLOÉ FEDIO, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN SEPTEMBER 30, 2012 The Ottawa leader of a Muslim sect condemned the violent reaction to “an extremely foul and provocative film,” including bloody protests and the storming of a consulate building in Benghazi that killed the U. S. ambassador to Libya and three embassy staff. During a Saturday evening gathering at the spiritual centre of Ahmadiyya Muslims in Cumberland, Imam Imtiaz Ahmed told members of his congregation that it’s possible to protest peacefully against “The Innocence of Muslims,” a 14-minute amateur film produced in the United States and released online. “It is a disgraceful and vulgar action of the producer of the film that has caused unrest in the entire Muslim world. Each Muslim is reacting to it — they exhibit momentary passion by burning flags, causing damage and destruction, and attacking embassies,” he said. “By burning flags and burning property of an embassy and by killing an ambassador, do they think that they have had their