Google blocks access to anti-Islam film in Indonesia and 3 other nations

Washington, United States (4E) – Following a week of anti-U.S. protests, Google, the parent company of popular video-sharing site YouTube, on Sunday blocked the clippings of the anti-Islamic film in Indonesia, Libya, Egypt and India.

“Google emailed us on Thursday evening to say it had blocked Indonesia’s access to 16 URLs related to the “Innocence of Muslims” videos on the site,” Indonesian Communications and Information Ministry spokesman Gatot Dewa Broto said.

Broto said that some parts of the film were still available on YouTube, adding that Google had assured that it would completely block the film’s access in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

“We understand that it takes time for Google to block everything as people continue to upload those sensitive videos. We appreciate Google’s cooperation,” he told the press.

The Indonesian government on Friday had also called Blackberry maker Research In Motion (RIM to prevent the access of film’s clippings on its smart phones. “We could access the videos on Blackberry too so we wrote to RIM to ask that it filter them, and RIM has been very co-operative,” he added.

The film, which was released on the eve of 9/11, sparked fury among Muslim dominated nations. In the wake of the release, several anti-U.S. elements targeted U.S. symbols, including embassies, schools and fast food chains. The worst of such attack claimed the life of U.S. ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three others last Tuesday in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Libyan city of Benghazi.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters rallied across Pakistan and demonstrated outside the U.S. consulate in Karachi. They denounced the film and burnt effigies of President Barack Obama and the U.S. flags. The demonstrators urged the government to end all relations with the U.S.

In Manila, the Philippines government said that it strengthen security outside the U.S. embassy in its capital in the wake of anti-U.S. sentiments caused by the anti-Islamic film. In an interview with state-run radio, Philippine Presidential Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that U.S. embassy staff face no danger and assured their safety.

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