Afghanistan Bans YouTube Over Mohammed Video

The Afghan government has reportedly censored YouTube to prevent anyone from watching the anti-Muslim film that inspired violent mobs in Libya and Egypt, leading to the death of the US ambassador to Libya. "We have been told to shut down YouTube to the Afghan public until the video is taken down," a Ministry of Communications official tells Reuters. Other developments related to the film:

• Sam Bacile, the California-based Israeli filmmaker responsible for the movie, has gone into hiding, the AAP reports. But he's not apologizing for the offensive video. "This is a political movie," he said. "Islam is a cancer, period." He blamed the ambassador's death on embassy security, which he said was "no good."
• The film, titled Innocence of Muslims, looks incredibly low budget, but Bacile says it cost $5 million to shoot, and was funded by more than 100 Jewish donors. A consultant on it says they're not surprised by the reaction. "We went into this knowing this was probably going to happen."
• Protests over the movie are still spreading; in Gaza today, protesters burned flags and chanted "death to America," the AP reports.
• The always-tactful New York Post probably captured many Americans' feelings on the fracas with its front-page headline today: "It's Just a Stupid Movie!"

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