Sudan summons US, German ambassadors to protest against anti-Islam film

September 14, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese ministry of foreign affairs summoned on Friday the US and German ambassadors in the country and conveyed Khartoum’s protest against the anti-Islam film, state media has reported.

According to Sudan’s official news agency SUNA, the ministry told the two ambassadors that undermining Islam prophet Mohammed is a “red line” to the entire Muslim world.

Sudanese police say that two protestors were killed outside the US embassy on Friday, while over reports indicate that as many as four were killed.

After Friday prayers thousands protested and attacked the German and British Embassies and later protestors were bussed 20 kilometres out of town to the US embassy. Dozens were reportedly injured.

The protests were triggered by the posting on the internet of a film called “innocence of Muslims” made in the US which has sparked a wave of indignation and concomitant protests across the Middle East, leading to the death of the US ambassador in Libya.

The undersecretary of the ministry of foreign affairs, Rahmat Allah Mohammed Osman, said that the argument of freedom of speech does not justify such behavior.

“In our opinion freedom of speech has limits and when it touches our Islamic sanctities and figures it become unacceptable” he was quoted by SUNA as saying.

Rahamt Allah however stressed that the government is committed to protecting Western diplomatic missions in accordance with international norms.

He added that the German and US ambassador apologized for the film and expressed their respect for the Muslim faith.

(ST)