Belgium has heightened its terror alert level ahead of the release of another highly provocative film exploring Islam, reportedly made in cooperation with the notorious Koran-burning US pastor Terry Jones.
The film's creator is Pakistan national Imran Firasat, a former Muslim who now lives in Spain. Firasat said he aims to expose the truth of the life of the Prophet Muhammad with 'The Innocent Prophet: Life of Muhammad from the Point of View of an Ex-Muslim.'"If we want to know the truth of Islam, we must go deep into the life of Muhammad to find out whether he was a genuine profit sent by God or was he simply a child molester, assassin and a self-proclaimed prophet," he said in the film's trailer. Firasat also hailed pastor Terry Jones as his inspiration. Jones wrote on his website, "It is our hope and desire that we can present a picture of Muhammad that has possibly not been revealed in the past, that will help people in the Western world, and even Muslims, to better understand this person called Muhammad, his life and teachings.” Jones is infamous for his incendiary anti-Islam speeches, and for staging a 'Koran-burning day' on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
'The Innocent Prophet' is expected to be a highly provocative film; Belgian police have raised the country's 'terrorism alarm' level from 2 to 3, the second-highest, ahead of the film's online release on December 14.The Belgian Interior Ministry said it was increasing the level to 'serious threat' as a precautionary measure, Flanders News reported.Police units in areas with large numbers of Middle Eastern and North African immigrants are reportedly on alert. Technical divisions of the Belgian police force have also been ordered to closely monitor Islamist websites and mass text messages.
In response to Belgium's heightened terror allert, Firasat said he might postpone the release of the film so it could be previewed by authorities to ensure “there is nothing in this movie which doesn't fall under the right of freedom of expression and that my movie will not cause any kind of loss to humanity.”“The necessary modification will be also made if requested by the authorities,” he wrote on trailer's YouTube page. Still, Firasat insisted he is not afraid of “Islamic violence,” and that postponing the release is a token of respect “towards Europe, which is my family.”Earlier this year, riots broke out in Belgium after the notorious American-made video 'Innocence of Muslims' went viral on the web, sparking violent anti-US protests throughout the Arab world.