The U.S. has been tightening security at diplomatic installations across the world, as authorities brace for more violent demonstrations in the Middle East against an anti-Islam film produced in the United States.Crowds are expected to gather after Friday prayers. In the early morning hours, Egyptian police used tear gas to disperse protesters near the U.S. Embassy in Cairo for the fourth straight day. But unlike Tuesday, the protesters were kept away from the embassy's compound.
On Thursday, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi promised to protect foreigners in Egypt while condemning both the anti-Islam film and the violence.
Meanwhile, Libyan officials have arrested four people in connection with this week's assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three of his staff. The officials did not provide details.
American intelligence agencies are examining the alleged involvement of pro-al-Qaida militants. But they say they do not have solid evidence.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has condemned the amateur U.S.-made movie that mocks the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
"The United States government had absolutely nothing to do with this video,” she said Thursday.” We absolutely reject its content and message. To us, to me personally, this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose: to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage."
Protests Spreading
Demonstrations that began earlier this week in Egypt and Libya spread to other areas, including Yemen, Iran, Iraq and Bangladesh on Thursday.
Protests in Yemen near the U.S. Embassy in the capital Thursday left four people dead.
Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi immediately condemned the violence and promised to protect U.S. citizens in Yemen. The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned Mr. Hadi to thank him for his swift response.
Following the violence that killed the U.S. ambassador in Libya on Tuesday, the United States sent two Navy destroyers, a Marine Corps anti-terrorist security team and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the country to protect Americans.
Christopher Stevens is the first U.S. ambassador to be killed on duty since 1979. He was a career foreign service officer and one of the most experienced American diplomats in the region. Also killed in the assault was information technology specialist Sean Smith .
On Thursday, Secretary Clinton identified the other two Americans, former Navy SEALS Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, who "died helping protect their colleagues."
"We condemn the attack that took the lives of these heroes in the strongest terms, and we are taking additional steps to safeguard American embassies, consulates, and citizens around the world," Clinton said in a statement.
Mystery Surrounds Controversial Film
A trailer for the anti-Islamic video was posted on YouTube in July. An Arabic-language translation began circulating in the Middle East in recent days. Clips from the movie depict the Prophet Muhammad as a villainous, homosexual, child-molesting buffoon, among other overtly insulting claims.
The film has been widely condemned across the globe and in the United States.
Called "The Innocence of Muslims," the film was said to have been produced by a man named Sam Bacile, who told news media he is Israeli-American. A consultant on the film says that name is a pseudonym, and there are suggestions that the man behind the film is an Egyptian Coptic Christian who lives in California. There is no record of the film or its producer in Hollywood reference sources.
Several news organizations have linked the inflammatory film to an Egyptian American, 55-year-old Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who lives in California and once was convicted of bank fraud. Nakoula says he handled logistics for the production.
Another California man who says he served as a consultant, Steve Klein, has given conflicting accounts of the film's origin and funding. Klein is the founder of anti-Muslim and other hate groups.
VOA's Mike O'Sullivan in Los Angeles contributed to this report
On Thursday, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi promised to protect foreigners in Egypt while condemning both the anti-Islam film and the violence.
Meanwhile, Libyan officials have arrested four people in connection with this week's assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three of his staff. The officials did not provide details.
American intelligence agencies are examining the alleged involvement of pro-al-Qaida militants. But they say they do not have solid evidence.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has condemned the amateur U.S.-made movie that mocks the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
"The United States government had absolutely nothing to do with this video,” she said Thursday.” We absolutely reject its content and message. To us, to me personally, this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose: to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage."
Protests Spreading
Demonstrations that began earlier this week in Egypt and Libya spread to other areas, including Yemen, Iran, Iraq and Bangladesh on Thursday.
Protests in Yemen near the U.S. Embassy in the capital Thursday left four people dead.
Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi immediately condemned the violence and promised to protect U.S. citizens in Yemen. The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned Mr. Hadi to thank him for his swift response.
Following the violence that killed the U.S. ambassador in Libya on Tuesday, the United States sent two Navy destroyers, a Marine Corps anti-terrorist security team and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the country to protect Americans.
Christopher Stevens is the first U.S. ambassador to be killed on duty since 1979. He was a career foreign service officer and one of the most experienced American diplomats in the region. Also killed in the assault was information technology specialist Sean Smith .
On Thursday, Secretary Clinton identified the other two Americans, former Navy SEALS Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, who "died helping protect their colleagues."
"We condemn the attack that took the lives of these heroes in the strongest terms, and we are taking additional steps to safeguard American embassies, consulates, and citizens around the world," Clinton said in a statement.
Mystery Surrounds Controversial Film
A trailer for the anti-Islamic video was posted on YouTube in July. An Arabic-language translation began circulating in the Middle East in recent days. Clips from the movie depict the Prophet Muhammad as a villainous, homosexual, child-molesting buffoon, among other overtly insulting claims.
The film has been widely condemned across the globe and in the United States.
Called "The Innocence of Muslims," the film was said to have been produced by a man named Sam Bacile, who told news media he is Israeli-American. A consultant on the film says that name is a pseudonym, and there are suggestions that the man behind the film is an Egyptian Coptic Christian who lives in California. There is no record of the film or its producer in Hollywood reference sources.
Several news organizations have linked the inflammatory film to an Egyptian American, 55-year-old Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, who lives in California and once was convicted of bank fraud. Nakoula says he handled logistics for the production.
Another California man who says he served as a consultant, Steve Klein, has given conflicting accounts of the film's origin and funding. Klein is the founder of anti-Muslim and other hate groups.
VOA's Mike O'Sullivan in Los Angeles contributed to this report