Turkey bans internet access to anti-Islam movie

ISTANBUL, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Internet users in Turkey are no longer able to access the video contents of "Innocence of Muslims" as of Wednesday as the government has launched legal procedures for the removal of the anti-Islam movie from websites such as Youtube and Google.

"We launched legal procedures for the removal of video content of infamous anti-Islam movie 'Innocence of Muslims' on specified URLs after the movie caused unrest both in Turkey and in the world as a production insulting Islam and the Muslims and carrying a provocative content," the Turkish ministry of communications said in a written statement.

Hundreds of protesters staged protests recently in Istanbul and Ankara against the U.S.-made movie which mocks Islam's Prophet Mohammad. The protesters chanted anti-U.S. slogans and burned U.S. and Israeli flags.

Many Turkish Muslims have expressed anger but remained restraint over the controversial movie.

"I don't think protests could solve the problem. As Muslims, what we should do is working hard to get strong and achieve better positions in the world," Omer Isik, a research assistant from Istanbul's Fatih University, told Xinhua.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that insulting Prophet Mohammad could not be considered as freedom of speech, and demanded severe punishment for those who made the film.

However, Erdogan said violence could not be justified and must be strongly condemned in the case of an attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya.

He said those resorting to violence should not commit mistakes by falling prey to provocation. Enditem

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