The mysterious California fellow behind that "Innocence of Muslims" film linked to violence in the mideast was today sentenced to death in absentia in an Egyptian court. He was among the 7 Egyptian Coptic Christians and one FL-based American pastor sentenced on charges linked to the movie. All of the defendants are "outside Egypt and unlikely to ever serve the sentences," reports the AP.

  • http://twitter.com/amanicdroid Dr. Chronobiologist

    Meh.

    • rtb61

       Not really a meh. What the Egyptian government has done is attempted to legalise assassination based upon what occurs in other countries. They are attempting to steal other countries free speech. This warrants a formal and stern response as it challenges the constitution of another country and represents a clear threat to that countries constitution.

      • Antinous / Moderator

        What the Egyptian government has done is attempted to legalise assassination based upon what occurs in other countries.

        Yeah! Civilized countries just send drones.

        • Ashen Victor

          Due process is for third world countries!

      • http://twitter.com/amanicdroid Dr. Chronobiologist

        I’m still feeling pretty meh about it. I was glad when the dictatorship was overthrown by the will of that country’s people but now it’s turning into a religion-based dictatorship which was a somewhat predictable outcome but I would have preferred they develop a democracy instead. Now they’re sentencing an asshole I don’t like to death in absentia for making a stupid, inflammatory film and all my strong feelings are clashing into a crusted shit brown color of blah.

        And thus I say, “Meh.”

  • http://openid.aliz.es/Change Change

    Egypt proves that rule of law in Egypt does not exist.

  • http://twitter.com/dantobias dantobias

    How do they have jurisdiction over the rest of the world?

    • lafave

      Yeah! Do they think they have hundreds of drones to rain death on the world? Why do they think they are?

    • retepslluerb

      Same way the US doe, just with less covert assassinations and open bombings.

  • destroy_all_humans

    He better rush over there and plead his case with the reasonable masses.

  • headcode

    Kill a woman, get a stern lecture.  Make fun of Mohammed, get the death sentence.

    • class_enemy

      Chop the hand off a shoplifter, get promoted.  Decapitate a gay man, get a medal.   Drive a car while female, go to jail.  Make fun of Mohammed, get the death sentence.

  • http://glitch.tl/ Michael Smith

    unlikely to ever serve the sentences

    When you get the death penalty do you serve your sentence, or do you receive your sentence?

    • Ashen Victor

       The vengeful mummy of Imhotep disagrees with you.

    • oasisob1

      It’s awarded to you.

    • http://twitter.com/incarnedine_v Dan Hibiki

       well it doesn’t always take and sometimes you need to receive your sentence several times until you’ve served it.

    • ocschwar

      Shogunate Japan established a way t serve a death sentence.

  • http://twitter.com/twistmeyer Mike Meyer

    And these are the Egyptian judges that are currently protesting to save the country from becoming an Islamist dictatorship, right?

    • eldritch

      An (intolerant) Islamist republic is still better than an (intolerant) Islamist dictatorship.

      (I felt the inclusion of “intolerant” important, because it negates negative generalization of the entire religion. Many muslims are tolerant people, even if others are not. The same is true of all religions.)

  • Aeron

    He’s outside of their jurisdiction, a.k.a. whichever planet they live on. In the mean time, I’ve discovered a new life goal/personal challenge.

  • Boundegar

    I wonder how it would work out if the Egyptian government sent a few drones over here and just took him out, along with everybody else in the Starbucks?  Shouldn’t be a problem, right?

    • Cowicide

      I don’t like U.S. drones or anything else that kills civilians, but you’re kind of equating the killing of terrorists to the killing of filmmakers which is two very different things.

      • Antinous / Moderator

        Setting aside the fact that drones kill many civilians per terrorist, some of those terrorists did nothing but preach and create propaganda. Kind of like these filmmakers.

        • Cowicide

          Kind of like these filmmakers.

          Did these filmmakers advocate/instruct killing anyone?

          Setting aside the fact that drones kill many civilians per terrorist

          I don’t set that aside.  That’s why I’m against drone attacks in the first place.

  • petertrepan

    I guess he’s currently moving “See the Pyramids” to the end of his bucket list.

  • Brainspore

    I’m less concerned about what this ruling says about how the Egyptian government is likely to treat Americans than what it says about how they’re likely to treat their own citizens. A lot of people just laid down their lives to help oust a dictator, and now they’re stuck with a regime that may well turn out even worse.* It’s always sad to see a moment of real opportunity go down the tubes like that.

    *NOTE: This should NOT be construed as a call for the U.S. government to “liberate” Egypt.

  • Cowicide

    So, by doing this, they prove that Muslims are, uh, peaceful… good… or something?  Kind of like how Americans proved how, uh, free, brave, accepting and badass we are by keeping away an islamic cultural center further away from ground zero than a strip club?

    Yet another reason for me to despise religion/dogma/nationalism.  Not that I really needed another one…