7 PERSONS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ANTI-ISLAM MOVIE

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CAIRO, Nov 28 (Reuters) – A Cairo court on Wednesday sentenced to death seven Egyptian Christians tried in absentia for participating in an anti-Islam video that was released on the Internet in September and prompted violent protests in Muslim countries.

“The seven accused persons were convicted of insulting the Islamic religion through participating in producing and offering a movie that insults Islam and its prophet,” Judge Saif al-Nasr Soliman said.

The low-budget video, produced privately in California, denigrated the Prophet Mohammad and triggered anti-U.S. protests and attacks on Western embassies around the Muslim world.

The convicted persons included Egyptian-American Nakoula Bassely Nakoula, who is currently serving a one-year-jail term in Los Angeles after an American court convicted him of probation violations that stemmed from his role in the movie.

Associated Press/Adel Hana, File - FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 14, 2012 file photo, Palestinian Islamic Jihad supporters rally with banners depicting Morris Sadek during a protest in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, as part of widespread anger across the Muslim world about a film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad. The banners in Arabic read, "Death to Israel," "death to America" and, "anyone but God's Prophet." An Egyptian court on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 has convicted in absentia seven Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Florida-based American pastor and sentenced them to death on charges linked to an anti-Islam film that had sparked riots in parts of the Muslim world. (AP Photo/Adel Hana, File)

The 13-minute video portrays the Prophet Mohammad as a fool and a sexual deviant, although cast members have said they were misled into appearing in a film they believed was an adventure drama called “Desert Warrior.”Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church did not issue an official comment on the ruling.

“The Church denounced the movie, which it has nothing to do with. As for today’s case, it is a court ruling and the Church does not comment on court decisions,” said a Church source who asked not to be named.

Christians make up around 10 percent of Egypt’s 83 million people and many complain of discrimination in work and treatment.