Innocence of Muslims: Coptic Christians Charged with Insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed [VIDEO]

Egypt's public prosecutor has issued a warrant for seven US-based Egyptian Coptic Christians and ordered them to be tried over their links to the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims that sparked violent clashes across Arab and Muslim countries.

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, an Egyptian Copt living in southern California, is among the seven. In addition, Florida-based evangelist Pastor Terry Jones has also been charged.

They have been accused of "insulting the Islamic religion, insulting the Prophet [Mohammed] and inciting sectarian strife".

The prosecution said they were involved in either the production or the distribution of the low-budget film that depicts the Prophet as a philanderer, fraud and child molester.

The suspects were also charged with harming national unity and spreading false information.

In Cairo, a Coptic Christian schoolteacher, Bishoy Kamel, was sentenced to six years for posting cartoons on Facebook that defamed Islam and the Prophet.

Members of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya and various Salafist groups tried to attack Kamel when he was led out of the court after sentencing.

In June 2011 another Coptic, the billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who contributed to the founding of the liberal Free Egyptians Party, was highly criticised for posting a cartoon of Disney characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse in Islamic dress.