Innocence of Muslims Filmmaker Headed to Prison

Innocence of Muslims Filmmaker Headed to Prison - The man behind Innocence of Muslims, the online film/trailer that was widely blamed for many of the protests across the Middle East on and around Sept. 11, 2012, has been sentenced in California to a year in prison for violating the terms of his probation.

Mark Basseley Youssef was on probation after a 2010 conviction for bank fraud. In court, he admitted to four of the eight violations he was accused of committing, including using fake names and lying to his probation officer. Prosecutors have agreed to drop the other four violations after negotiations with Youssef's attorney, and not to pursue further charges related to his statements to parole officers. The deal includes four years of probation in addition to the one year in jail, the Associated Press explains.

While both Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale and U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder were careful to emphasize that Youssef's presence in the court room was not because of the content of the film, his attorney argued otherwise. 

Youssef's attorney Steven Seiden said that the court proceedings were designed to "chill my client's First Amendment rights," according to the Los Angeles Times. Through Sieden, Youssef himself had this to say: "The one thing he wanted me to tell all of you is President Obama may have gotten Osama Bin Laden, but he didn't kill the ideology." Seiden was unable to provide further clarification of that statement's relevance to the case to the AP. ( slate )

Islamophobia

Cartoons in French weekly fuel Mohammad furor - Cartoons in French weekly fuel Mohammad furor - A French magazine ridiculed the Prophet Mohammad on Wednesday by portraying him naked in cartoons, threatening to fuel the anger of Muslims around the world who are already incensed by a California-made video depicting him as a lecherous fool. The drawings in the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo risked...

California judge rules anti-Islam film can stay on YouTube - California judge rules anti-Islam film can stay on YouTube - An anti-Islam film trailer that has spawned violent protests across the Muslim world can remain on YouTube despite a request from a California actress to have it taken down, a judge ruled on Thursday. Actress Cindy Lee Garcia had sought to have the film removed in a suit filed on Wednesday...

U.S. investigating man linked to anti-Islam film - U.S. investigating man linked to anti-Islam film - A California man convicted of bank fraud is under investigation for possible probation violations stemming from the making of an anti-Islam video that triggered violent protests against the United States in the Muslim world, U.S. officials said on Friday.The man, 55-year-old Nakoula Basseley Nakoula...

Nakoula may have violated probation with movie - Nakoula may have violated probation with movie - Federal probation officers interviewed Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, a California filmmaker responsible for creating an anti-Islam film that sparked protests in more than 30 countries, late Friday night.The man, who served 21 months in prison on fraud and identity theft charges, could face more prison time...

Protests against film spread in Mideast; 1 killed - Protests against film spread in Mideast; 1 killed — Angry demonstrations against an anti-Islam film spread to their widest extent yet around the Middle East and other Muslim countries Friday. Protesters smashed into the German Embassy in the Sudanese capital and set part of it on fire and climbed the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, waving an Islamist...

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Man who skipped paying hotel bill nabbed through toothbrush he left behind

Man who skipped paying hotel bill nabbed through toothbrush he left behind - A man who skipped out on a lodging bill was later caught thanks to a common item he left behind in his hotel room.

Stephen Evans left a Welsh seaside resort in Llandudno after two nights without paying, according to news.com.au.

But Evans left his toothbrush.

Police discovered the mouth cleaning instrument in the vacant hotel room, and after having it forensically checked—in CSI fashion—found a match in their database to Evans, news.com.au reports.

Prosecutors said Evans had been kicked out of his home and had no place to stay. So he checked into the hotel using a false name.

Evans, 29, who is a plasterer in Llandudno, admitted to the charge of leaving the hotel without settling up the bill. He was ordered to pay $102 for the two nights he had stayed there, and $95 in costs. He was also placed under a four-month curfew, during which he is not allowed to go out from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. each day.

The incident may now give Evans something more to think about every time he brushes his teeth. ( The Sideshow )

Crime

Muslims skip NYC mayor's event to protest spying - Muslims skip NYC mayor's event to protest spying — Some religious leaders attending Mayor Michael Bloomberg's interfaith breakfast Friday expressed solidarity with Muslims upset about police department surveillance in their communities while more than...

Chinese toddler left bloody in hit-and-run dies - Chinese toddler left bloody in hit-and-run dies — A toddler who was twice run over by vans and then ignored by passers-by on a busy market street died Friday a week after the accident and after days of bitter soul-searching over declining morality in...

No Strong Commitment from Govt to Protect Indonesian Workers? - No Strong Commitment from Govt to Protect Indonesian Workers? -- The Indonesian government must have a firm attitude towards the Saudi authority's decision over Ruyati, a domestic helper who was executed on Saturday on charges of murder, a legal observer...

Saudi Beheads Indonesian Woman Convicted of Murder - Saudi Beheads Indonesian Woman Convicted of Murder - - An Indonesian woman was beheaded by the sword on Saturday after being convicted of murdering a Saudi woman, the interior ministry said. The woman named Roiaiti Beth Sabotti Sarona, according to...

Famous hacker attacks - Famous hacker attacks - Hackers Lulz Security have launched an attack on the CIA website after targeting Sony and PBS. Here are some other audacious hacking attacks: 1. In 1990 teenager Kevin Poulsen hacked the phone lines of the Kiss FM radio station...

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Mars Curiosity about to really shake things up

This handout image provided by NASA, taken Sept. 28, 2012, is a mosaic of images taken by the telephoto right-eye camera of the Mast Camera before the rover arrived at Rocknest. Mars Curiosity is about to sip its initial taste of the red planet's sand. But first, NASA's rover has to play bartender to make sure the dry dust is shaken, not stirred.The rover's scoop will dig into the sand Saturday. Then the action starts. Mission sampling chief Daniel Limonadi said the end of the rover's arm will shake vigorously and noisily for eight hours, like a Martian martini mixer gone mad. That will vibrate the fine dust grains through the rover chemical testing system to cleanse it of unwanted residual Earth grease. (AP Photo/NASA)

Mars Curiosity about to really shake things up — Mars Curiosity is about to take its first sip of the red planet's sand. But only after NASA's rover plays bartender to make sure the dry dust is shaken, not stirred.

The rover's scoop will dig into the sand Saturday. Then the action starts. The end of the rover's 220-pound arm will shake "at a nice tooth-rattling vibration level" for eight hours, like a Martian martini mixer gone mad, said mission sampling chief Daniel Limonadi said.

"It kind of looks and feels like if you open the hood of your car with the engine running," Limonadi said, making engine noises in a Thursday NASA telephone press conference.

That heavy shaking will vibrate the fine dust grains through the rover chemical testing system to cleanse it of unwanted residual Earth grease. That's important for the sensitive scientific instruments that are the keystone to the $2.5 billion mission that launched last year.

The rover landed in August and has traveled three-tenths of a mile, taking pictures and analyzing the Martian air.

For the next week or two, Curiosity will scoop, shake and dump sand out three times, like a robotic version of cleaning its mouth out with mouthwash, Limonadi said. The fourth time, the rover will slowly pour "a half a baby aspirin pill of material" into the mobile lab to start a complex chemical analysis, he said.

There's nothing that seems special about the sand that will be tested and that's why NASA picked it out. It's good to start with "boring safe Martian sand dune," Limonadi said.

The car-sized rover has a complex chemical lab, a scoop and a drill to look for the basic ingredients of life, including carbon-based compounds, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur and oxygen. This will be the first time the chemistry lab will be used. In about a month, after going to a newer more interesting location, the rover will start drilling into the ground for samples. ( Associated Press )

SPACE

Solar flare erupts, creating spectacular images - Solar flare erupts, creating spectacular images — A solar flare erupted from the sun in an impressive display captured by NASA cameras, but scientists say the medium-sized event will have a minimal impact, if any, on Earth.The flare peaked early Tuesday and created a large cloud that appeared to cover almost half the surface of the sun, NASA said....

Long Before Earth, Asteroids May Have Served as Incubators of Life - Long Before Earth, Asteroids May Have Served as Incubators of Life — Meteorites don't always announce their arrival, but the one bearing down on Canada on Jan. 18, 2000, was not shy. Plunging toward the ground in a roaring fireball, it took aim at Lake Tagish in the British Columbia mountains and — this being winter — smashed itself into fragments...

Could 'Worms from Hell' Mean There's Life in Space?  - Could 'Worms from Hell' Mean There's Life in Space? — It's just as well that Tullis Onstott doesn't suffer from claustrophobia. During the academic year, the Princeton geoscientist works in an office in the sub-basement of the university's Guyot Hall — a floor some of his colleagues didn't even know existed. Now that school's out, he's headed even...

Is this a squadron of UFOs flying over California? - Is this a squadron of UFOs flying over California? - The Internet is abuzz over an alleged UFO sighting in the night sky over Oakland, California.Three fast-moving dots of light can be seen travelling close together in a video posted on YouTube by a KevinMC360.The 'UFO squadron' shows the three lights in a triangular pattern spotted on May 26.Scroll...

Superflare from Crab Nebula Has Astronomers Mystified - Superflare from Crab Nebula Has Astronomers Mystified - The Crab Nebula, the dusty remains of an exploded star, has unleashed a surprisingly massive flare that is five times more powerful than any eruption previously seen from the celestial object, leaving scientists struggling to explain the event, NASA says.The so-called "superflare" was detected...

Mercury, Venus, Mars & Jupiter Converge in Night Sky - Mercury, Venus, Mars & Jupiter Converge in Night Sky - During this month of May, four bright planets will engage in a fascinating dance with each other in the morning sky.Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will be involved in a series of conjunctions, joined at the end of the month by a very thin, waning crescent moon. We could even refer to this...

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Islamists punish alleged bandits with amputations

Islamists punish alleged bandits with amputations — Islamists in the West African country of Mali say they have cut off the right hand and left foot of five suspected thieves, in the latest application of Shariah law in a northern region that was overrun by al-Qaida-linked rebels five months ago.

Aliou Toure, the Islamic police commissioner in the city of Gao, told The Associated Press that the amputations took place Monday on a stage in a public square there. He said the five men had held up passenger buses leaving the city.

After the amputations, the victims were transferred to the Gao hospital.

Ibrahim Toure, a resident of Gao, said he was passing by just after the amputations had been carried out, and saw children carrying buckets of water to wash away the blood. ( Associated Press )

Islamic law

Europe's Muslims edge towards synchronizing Ramadan

Europe's Muslims edge towards synchronizing Ramadan – When the Muslim holy month of Ramadan arrives next week, fasting will definitely begin on Friday in Germany, probably the same day in neighboring France and maybe on Saturday across the Channel in Britain. Even in the same country, some Muslims might begin and end the fast before [...]

 

The Importance of Ruling by Islam

The Importance of Ruling by Islam – This Deen (Islam) was never revealed as a mere religion or a "spiritual booster". It is a divine way of life which Almighty Allah (SWT) sent to His servants, whereby He ordered them to organise and manage the affairs of mankind with complete justice – the Sharee'ah.

 

Smoking and Islam

Smoking and Islam – Smoking is haraam in Islam – Powerful arguments based on the Quran and Sunnah Cigarette smoking is the most widespread example of drug dependence in the United States and in all the Islamic countries as well.  The U.S.  Surgeon General's Office considers cigarette smoking to America's worst drug addiction problem. Medical [...]

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Harry completes 1st phase of Afghanistan training

Harry completes 1st phase of Afghanistan training — Prince Harry is finishing his first phase of initial training at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

The 27-year-old Army captain arrived in Afghanistan for his second tour there on Friday but will not start flying Apache helicopter missions for at least seven more days.

On Sunday, the third-in-line to the British throne was expected to complete his two-day course in first aid, shooting, and roadside-bomb awareness.

He then is to start Apache-specific preparation Monday, where he will begin to familiarize himself with the helicopter's configurations for Afghanistan.

The prince's previous posting as a battlefield air traffic controller in Afghanistan in late 2007 and early 2008 lasted only 10 weeks. It was cut short amid fears for his safety after his deployment was made public. ( Associated Press  )


Prince Harry

Was Prince Harry's Vegas nude romp caught on video? Fresh embarrassment for young Royal over claims footage is being offered for sale

Photographs of a naked Prince Harry romping in Las Vegas draw questions about royal security

Photographs of a naked Prince Harry romping in Las Vegas draw questions about royal security - They were embarrassing, silly, and raunchy. But were they a security breach?A day after nude photographs of Prince Harry ricocheted across the Internet, security...

Photos of naked prince raise security questions

On your marks, get set, go! Prince Harry takes on sprint king Bolt in Jamaica

Prince Harry instead of William on royal wedding mug

Prince Harry instead of William on royal wedding mug - Everyone knows Kate Middleton is marrying Prince William. Well, almost everyone. The people behind a souvenir mug that commemorates the royal wedding didn't get the memo and made a pretty big ...

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