Australia hits out at anti-Islam film

Australia hits out at anti-Islam film

March 30, 2008 06:25pm

AUSTRALIA has added its voice to the international chorus of outrage over an anti-Islam film posted on the internet by a right wing Dutch politician.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith today said Geert Wilders' film Fitna equated Islam with acts of terror and violence and was "highly offensive".

"It is an obvious attempt to generate discord between faith communities," Mr Smith said.

"Like leaders in the Muslim world and in Europe, I strongly reject the ideas contained in the film and deplore its release.

"In Australia we believe in the right to freedom of expression but we don't believe in abusing that right to incite racial hatred."

Muslim nations, the European Union and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have all expressed outrage over the film, posted on the internet last week.

Iran and Bangladesh warned the film could cause grave consequences and Pakistan has protested to the Dutch ambassador.

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has called for Muslim nations to boycott Dutch products.

But Mr Smith echoed Dutch Muslim leaders' calls for restraint, saying the best response was a "calm and responsible one".

Fearing a repeat of violent clashes in 2006 that followed the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in Danish newspapers, the Dutch government has distanced itself from Wilders' 17-minute film.

The head of the Freedom Party, which has nine seats in the Dutch parliament, Wilders has also called for the banning of the Koran in the Netherlands, calling it "fascist