White House Considers Turning Over Filmmaker Behind "Innocence Of Muslims" To Egypt
By DAWN E. HYMAN
Published September 17, 2012
Related: Film review: Innocence of Muslims Shines
Related: Opinion: What Good Is Free Speech When You Are Dead?
By PETER HARTWIG
Published September 13, 2012
WASHINGTON – President Obama suggested that the U.S. could turn over Mr. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula – the 55-year-old Californian behind the bigoted film "Innocence of Muslims" – to Egyptian authorities in the coming days. Obama made the suggestion during an appearance on CBS’s 60 Minutes program yesterday evening.
The comment also coincides with the spread of unrest to the Afghanistan capital of Kabul. Violence in Afghanistan adds fear that the fragile government in Afghanistan could crumble. If this happened before the November election, Obana’s foreign policy in the Middle East could be harshly scrutinized – and Obama's chances for reelection imperiled.
“We have important interests in the emerging democracies in the Middle East,” the president told Scott Pelley during the interview. “This individual, Mr. Nakoula, is Egyptian – is not a U.S. citizen – and may be in violation of his parole making him subject to deportation.” The president said that he could deport Mr. Nakoula using an executive order if he so chooses.
Mr. Nakoula was convicted of financial fraud involving use of the internet in 2007 and is barred from using the internet during his probation. Investigators suspect he might have used it to post the preview of “Innocence of Muslims.” They interviewed him on Saturday, and the president is awaiting a report of the interview.
After the Administration chastized the ill-informed and poorly-made film “Innocence of Muslims” in tweets and in the media, the Muslim street remains unsatisfied. Middle Eastern expert Stephen Cohen with the The Brookstone Institute said that the unrest spreads like a pandemic, and the White House appears to be trying to put its money where its mouth is with the Muslim world. “This has been brewing for quite some time, and it would take a grand gesture by the U.S. to stop it from getting worse,” he said.
“This has been brewing for quite some time, and it would take a grand gesture by the U.S. to stop it from getting worse." - Stephen Cohen, The Brookstone Institute
The president, however, could be hemmed in by his own generous immigration policies. Pelley questioned the president whether Nakoula fits the criteria currently being applied by Homeland Security for deportation since his crime, if any, does not involve violence but a parole violation. “We could make an exception in Mr. Nakoula’s case since that repugnant, amateurish film offended many people and led to much bloodshed,” said President Obama.
When asked what Mr. Nakoula’s fate might be in Egypt, Mr. Obama was philosophical. “In America, we have a saying ‘we reap what we sow,’” he said. “I have a feeling this applies with even greater force in Egypt where agriculture was invented.”
(Peter Hartwig contributed to this report.)
