The UK has urged the Sudanese authorities to bring to justice
protesters who attacked the British and German embassies amid a wave of
angry Muslim protests over a film lampooning the prophet Muhammad.
Foreign
Secretary William Hague said the Government had raised "serious
concerns" with the Sudanese Ambassador to London over the incident in
Khartoum, when demonstrators broke down a perimeter wall.
No staff were injured but the German embassy, in the same compound as the British, was torched. "We
have spoken to the Sudanese Ambassador in London (Abdullahi Hamad Ali
Alazreg) and raised our serious concerns that this attack was able to
take place," Mr Hague said. "It is the responsibility of the Sudanese
authorities to ensure that effective protection is provided to
diplomatic premises at all times. I condemn in the strongest possible
terms today's attack and call on the Sudanese authorities to ensure that
those involved are brought to justice."
Protests spread across much of the Muslim world on Friday over the low-budget anti-Islam film produced in America. Demonstrators
scaled the walls of US embassies in Tunisia and Sudan and police in
Cairo prevented stone-throwing protesters reaching the US Embassy,
firing tear gas and deploying armoured vehicles in a fourth day of
clashes in the Egyptian capital. The protests spread to about 20
countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Afghanistan and
Pakistan, but the most violent demonstrations took place in the Middle
East.
Earlier this week the US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, was among four Americans killed in an attack in Benghazi. As
their bodies were returned on Friday night, US President Barack Obama
admitted their deaths led many to question American "idealism". "They
embodied it - the courage, the hope and, yes, the idealism. That
fundamental American belief that we can leave this world a little better
than before," he said. "I know that this awful loss, the terrible
images of recent days, the pictures we're seeing again today, have
caused some to question this work. And there is no doubt that these are
difficult days. In moments such as this, so much anger and violence,
even the most hopeful among us must wonder."
Mr Hague said the
Foreign Office's travel advice had been updated to urge British
nationals to avoid demonstrations or large gatherings of people.
Source: Press Association
