Pakistan's Railway Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour Announced Bounty on Anti-Muslim Filmmaker

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Sat, Sep 22) - According to BBC News; a Pakistani government minister has announced a $100,000 bounty for the death of the maker of an anti-Islam film, Innocence of Muslims, produced in the United States.

 

Pakistan's Railway Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour Announced Bounty on Anti-Muslim Filmmaker

 

 

Pakistan Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, belongs to a political party called ANP (Awami National Party), told reporters that he would pay the reward for the "sacred duty" out of his own pocket.

 

"Whomsoever can kill the blasphemer will be covered in dollar bills by me," Mr Bilour told in a press conference in Peshawar. The offer from Mr Blour came only a day after deadly riots across Pakistan against the offending film, in which at least 22 people were killed and some 200 injured in clashes with the police. A cinema owned by Mr Bilour was among many commercial properties set on fire there by a protesting mob.

 

Anti-America sentiment grew after a trailer for the film dubbed into Arabic was released on YouTube earlier this month. Muslim world rocked by the deadly protests since last 11 days.

 

The maker of the film, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, is currently hiding in an unknown place due to life threats. Nakoula is reported as an Egyptian-born Coptic Christian living in California, who was found guilty of fraud in 2010 and ordered to pay more than $790,000 in restitution. He is thought to have used the pseudonym Sam Bacile to hide his identity.

 

Federal Minister said his decision to offer the bounty for Nakoula was purely a personal one, and had nothing to do with either his political party or the government.

 

"I alone will bear the consequences of the blasphemer's killing including any prosecution by authorities overseas. It would be a matter between them and I," he said.

The Pakistani government is yet to comment on Mr Bilour's statement, but will be hard-pressed to prosecute him because it could antagonize his ANP party.

 

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Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, Sam Bacile, Anti-Islam Film, Anti-Prophet Film, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Bounty on Nakoula