Google: Violence required taking down anti-Islam video in Egypt, Libya

Google has blocked a controversial YouTube video in Egypt and Libya that mocks the Prophet Muhammad and is believed to have sparked a series of violent protests.

Google, which owns the popular video site, acknowledged that the video does not violate its guidelines banning violent or pornographic content and said the video will remain available in other countries.

"We work hard to create a community everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different opinions.  This can be a challenge because what's OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere," the company said in a statement issued Wednesday. "This video — which is widely available on the Web — is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube. However, given the very difficult situation in Libya and Egypt we have temporarily restricted access in both countries. Our hearts are with the families of the people murdered in yesterday's attack in Libya."

The crude 14-minute video, which is a trailer for a supposed film called the "Innocence of Muslims," was uploaded on July 2 but only recently gained widespread attention. The subsequent attack on the U.S. embassy in the Libyan city of Benghazi left four American officials, including the ambassador to Libya, dead.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton blasted the video on Thursday, calling it "disgusting and reprehensible.” 

“Let me state very clearly, and I hope it is obvious, that the United States government had absolutely nothing to do with this video,” she said at a press conference in Washington. 

Reuters reported on Thursday that Afghanistan has ordered YouTube to take down the video.

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