setting both LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/firefox *and* MOZILLA_FIVE_HOME=/usr/lib/firefox before starting python fixed it.
fta@ix:~$ LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/firefox python /tmp/foo Segmentation fault (core dumped) fta@ix:~$ MOZILLA_FIVE_HOME=/usr/lib/firefox python /tmp/foo Segmentation fault (core dumped) fta@ix:~$ MOZILLA_FIVE_HOME=/usr/lib/firefox LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/firefox python /tmp/foo LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library libXt.so [libXt.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory] LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library libXext.so [libXext.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory] LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun-1.6.0.02/jre/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so [/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun-1.6.0.02/jre/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so: undefined symbol: _ZTVN10__cxxabiv121__vmi_class_type_infoE]
setting both LD_LIBRARY_ PATH=/usr/ lib/firefox *and* MOZILLA_ FIVE_HOME= /usr/lib/ firefox before starting python fixed it.
fta@ix:~$ LD_LIBRARY_ PATH=/usr/ lib/firefox python /tmp/foo FIVE_HOME= /usr/lib/ firefox python /tmp/foo FIVE_HOME= /usr/lib/ firefox LD_LIBRARY_ PATH=/usr/ lib/firefox python /tmp/foo jvm/java- 6-sun-1. 6.0.02/ jre/plugin/ i386/ns7/ libjavaplugin_ oji.so [/usr/lib/ jvm/java- 6-sun-1. 6.0.02/ jre/plugin/ i386/ns7/ libjavaplugin_ oji.so: undefined symbol: _ZTVN10_ _cxxabiv121_ _vmi_class_ type_infoE]
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
fta@ix:~$ MOZILLA_
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
fta@ix:~$ MOZILLA_
LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library libXt.so [libXt.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory]
LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library libXext.so [libXext.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory]
LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library /usr/lib/