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American Islamic Congress director: 'All critical thinkers are being silenced' in Middle East unrest
An anti-Islam film that has Muslims all over the world enraged is again making headlines this morning.
Nasser Weddady, director of the American Islamic Congress, joins Early Start today to discuss the escalating situation, explaining that both conservative and political elements in power are encouraging the protests.
“Today, we should expect a lot of radical elements surfing on this wave and trying to stoke anti-American sentiment,” Weddady says. “It is important to stress that we know who triggered this and we know how to stop it.”
Weddady explains that people opposing the demonstrations are unable to voice their opinions. “As a result of these riots and this explosion of outrage, all critical thinkers are being silenced effectively by this,” he says. “No one can come out at this moment and take a different opinion than is being broadcast and basically that is used to rouse the masses."
Regarding the future of the protests, Weddady says that he expects to see popular anger spread until the big next event happens.
Weddady explains that some governments will leverage this situation to drive through an effort to “impose through the U.N anti-blasphemy laws as a new international norm.”
“That is cause to concern, because it would create basically this double standard where free speech is gonna be curtailed,” Weddady says.
Amb. Burns: 'A time of testing' for U.S. after protests spread to Yemen, Iran
Across the Middle East protests have occurring in areas like Yemen and Egypt where demonstrators have been scaling embassy walls trying to gain access to interior parts of the compounds. The demonstrations come after a film produced in the United States depicting Prophet Mohammed as a womanizer, child molester and ruthless killer was released online.
Fmr. U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns says the recent protests are “a time of testing” for the United States. “What we appear to be seeing in Egypt, in Libya and in Yemen are relatively moderate governments who are under some challenge for more conservative... reactionary forces in their own society.” Burns adds that the government forces in these areas are trying “to maintain their position, fend off conservative forces and unfortunately the United States has ended up in the middle of it.”
Some House conservatives are calling for foreign aid to be stripped from Libya and Egypt, while others are considering the message pulling aid might send to the region after the death of a U.S. Ambassador. Burns says, “The United States absolutely has reason to be outraged at what happened to our ambassador Chris Stevens in Libya….I actually think rather than to withdraw the aid right now, our focus should be on getting these Arab leaders to stand up, be accountable in their own societies and be responsible for law and order.”
Friends remember Ambassador Stevens as caring, committed diplomat who loved Libya
Journalist Harvey Morris reflects on the life of his friend, slain US Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens.
Morris says Stevens “was so optimistic about the job he was going to take up.” “In fact, when I last saw him in autumn last year, he was slightly concerned he wouldn't get his congressional approval…He was worried about anything that might upset his plans to go to Libya.”
Warships headed to Libya give President Obama additional military option – Barbara Starr reports
In Egypt, Riot police continued firing warning shots and tear gas early Thursday outside their U.S. Embassy in Cairo to prevent protestors from climbing embassy walls. Demonstrators were said to be protesting a film produced in the United States that shows Prophet Mohammed as a womanizer, child molester and ruthless killer.
CNN’s Barbara Starr says, “People have been waiting for the last couple of days for Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy to actually come out in public” and talk about the protests in his country. In his statement, Morsy says the Egyptian security forces will control the situation and will not allow this to happen again.
The U.S. has also began taking precautions. 50 Marines were sent to the U.S. embassy in Tripoli where protests also took place. “They are there to provide internal security only. Nothing else,” says Starr. Two U.S. Navy warships equipped with tomahawk missiles were also sent toward the Libyan coast, which Starr says “will give President Obama… a military option should he choose it- to strike targets in Libya.”
U.S. compound violence a blow to new Libya – Jomana Karadsheh reports
Protests have been spreading across the Middle East in areas like Yemen where demonstrators breached a security wall on Thursday at the American Embassy in Sana'a. The protests come after an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya on Tuesday that resulted in the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other consular officials.
Following that attack, “Libyan authorities have beefed up security around the different foreign missions here in Tripoli and in Benghazi,” says Karadsheh. “Two Navy destroyers equipped with Tomahawk missiles have been moved off the coast of Libya and of course drones that will be operating in Libya to try to track down militant cells that were responsible for this attack.”
Karadsheh says originally officials thought the protesting in Libya was taking place over the online release of a film produced in the United States that denigrates Prophet Mohammed but now “that doesn’t seem to be the case.” “More and more indications are surfacing that this was actually a pre-planned attack carried out by extremist groups that are operating in the Eastern part of the country.”
U.S. prepares for escalating protests around the world – Elise Labott reports
CNN's Elise Labott shares the latest response from the Yemeni Embassy in Washington condemning any attacks on the U.S. facilities located in Sana'a.
The statement says, “The government in Yemen will honor its diplomatic obligations to insure safety of the U.S. personal and facilities and all responsibilities of the host government.”
“This is not Egypt or Libya,” says Labott. “This is certainly seen by the Unites States as a country that has the security situation pretty much in hand…The United States feels that the Yemenis will be able to protect them.”
Violent protests spreads to Yemen – Barbara Starr on concerns for where it could escalate
In Yemen, police have been driving out protestors who breached a security wall on Thursday at the American Embassy. CNN’s Barbara Starr says “Its not miles. It’s a short walking distance” from the main gate to vital parts of the compound. Starr adds, however that “everything within that compound is fortified and has layers of security around it.”
With rapid videos of protests appearing online Starr questions the impact of social media on other possible protestors around the world. “As these pictures are seen around the world, what will be the reaction in other countries? Will it spark other protests? Will this give people who want to cause trouble that momentum to get involved in protests perhaps against U.S. installations? These things have a very…real way of growing through the social media.”
– CNN's Barbara Starr reports
New Cairo protests different, comprised of disenfranchised youth – Ian Lee reports
A third day of protesting rang out near the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, as demonstrators threw rocks and Molotov cocktails. Police fired back with tear gas canisters and tried to disperse the protestors as they drove through Tahrir Square. Several police trucks were set on fire as the protests grew more violent and demonstrators climbed through barbed wire fencing outside the embassy. At least 19 people were injured – 13 protesters and six police officers, Egyptian government officials said Thursday.
The clashes follow Tuesday's attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that left U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other consular officials dead.
“What we’re seeing right now is a stalemate between the police and protestors. The protestors don’t seem to be giving up,” says CNN’s Ian Lee.
Lee adds, “These protestors that you see...the 200 or so… really don’t have the support of the entire city or the country because you’re not seeing more people come out and join them.” Lee says these demonstrators are different from the September 11 protestors. “That night we saw Islamists, we saw a very more ultra-conservatives, also some young youth but …these protestors are more or less disenfranchised youth...These are the hardcore protestors… The ones that we constantly see that are battling the police,” says Lee.
VIDEO: Reporter Almasmari reports 'anger in air' in protests outside U.S. Embassy in Yemen
Demonstrators who breached a security wall on Thursday at the American Embassy in Yemen represent the latest addition to protests happening across the Middle East. On Tuesday an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya resulted in the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other consular officials. Riot police in Egypt continued firing warning shots and tear gas early Thursday outside their U.S. Embassy in Cairo to keep of protesters back from the compound walls. The protests are unified over the online release of a film produced in the United States that denigrates Prophet Mohammed.
“The security forces don’t want this to escalate,” says Hakim Almasmari – a reporter stationed in Yemen, outside the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a.
Almasmari adds, “They are trying to do this as peaceful as possible…[Yemen security forces] know that if blood falls on the ground, this will only get worse. They are trying to use batons that’s needed. But as of now it has not gotten violent. And if it does, it will only be for the worse. And Yemen knows that if one is killed in this protest it could escalate…that is why they are using batons and a lot of wisdom in dealing with these protesters, though in the past many of the protestors at this place were violent over the last year or so.”
Almasmari goes on to say that all of the protestors’ anger are “linked to this video and nothing else.” “[Protestors] know that that video is the beginning of what could be a long-term movie war… They believe anything against the Prophet Mohammad should not be taken lightly… I'm pretty sure this will not get violent. Most of the Yemeni protesters are unarmed. As of now, they have no weapons…This is only to express anger and if security forces deal with it wisely, it will not get violent and in an hour or so it will come to an end.”
U.S. Ambassador to Libya Stevens remembered as respected diplomat eager to work with Libyan people
(CNN) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday strongly condemned the killing of the United States ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, in a rocket attack on the U.S. Consulate in the city of Benghazi on Tuesday. Stevens was the first U.S. ambassador to be killed in an attack since 1979.
This morning on "Early Start," CNN's Elise Labott shares stories of Stevens and describes how he was eager to work with Libyan people in his post as US Ambassador.
READ MORE: Obama condemns killing of U.S. ambassador to Libya
