Posted: Mon., Mar. 31, 2008, 7:44pm PT

Liveleak reinstates anti-Islam film

'Fitna' returns to website

HOLLYWOOD -- Geert Wilders' anti-Islamic film "Fitna" was back on Liveleak.com on Monday three days after the British-based Internet site pulled it following threats to staffers.

A statement on the Liveleak site said it had upgraded security for staffers and their families.

Liveleak bowed the 15-minute film on Thursday.

On Monday, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen met ambassadors of countries belonging to the Organization of the Islamic Conference to assure them the film did not reflect the opinion of the Dutch government.

Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to take action against right-wing pol Wilders for violating hate speech laws in the pic, which U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called "offensively anti-Islamic."

Over the weekend there were protests in Indonesia and Pakistan and calls for a boycott of Dutch products in Jordan and Malaysia.

"Fitna" has been the subject of heated debate and protests ever since Wilders announced plans to release it earlier this year.

Dutch TV broadcasters refused to air the film, which features graphic images of terror attacks in New York, London and Madrid.

"Fitna" is an Arabic word that can be translated as strife or discord and is usually used in a religious context.


TALKBACK:

Here is what others are saying about this article:

-- This post was removed because it... read more >


Summer Blockbusters

Variety has everything you want to know about this summer's biggest movies.



CTO of LucasFilm Richard Harris discusses the importance of creative freedom for digital artists. ; LucasFilm's Richard Kerris talks about foundations of technology; in particular, communications. ; Richard Kerris talks about the importance of collaboration in the videogame industry. ; Chief Technology Officer of Lucasgame, Richard Kerris, talks about the higher standards of the industry.; Innovators: Sassoon 1; Innovators: Sassoon 2; Innovators: Sassoon 3; Innovators: Sassoon 4; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Urbach 1; Innovators: Weinstein 1; Innovators: Weinstein 2; Innovators: Weinstein 3; Innovators: Weinstein 4; ThatGameCompany co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen talk about their videogame, 'Flow,' which could be described as an aquatic Pacman. ; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; tgc; variety; videogames; Co-founders of ThatGameCompany, Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen, discuss their USC roots while developing 'Cloud.'; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; variety; videogames; Co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen discuss their company's non-violent approach to game development. ; TGC gaming; ThatGameCompany; cloud; flow; variety; videogames; TGC co-founders Kellee Santiago and Jeneva Chen talk about being approached by videogame publishers. ; ThatGameCompany; chen; cloud; flow; santiago; variety; videogames;

Variety's 10 Innovators to watch
• Tuning in the next wave: Variety’s inaugural list
Q What are the top 3 things affecting our industry today?
A. Dylan - 1- Extravagant theatrical releasing budgets, particularly marketing costs that don't match... more >


Submit this form
© 2008 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this website is subject to its Terms & Conditions of Use. View our Privacy Policy.