Date:01/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/01/stories/2006020102241700.htm

International

Danes under threat as row over cartoon escalates

Nicholas Watt

Protests intensify across West Asia as Muslims vent anger at a blasphemous caricature

Brussels: Protests intensified across West Asia as Muslims vented their anger at a Danish newspaper for depicting the Prophet Muhammad in cartoons.

Denmark warned its citizens against non-urgent travel to Saudi Arabia after Riyadh recalled its ambassador to Copenhagen and religious leaders called for a boycott of Danish goods.

A similar warning was issued to Scandinavians travelling to Gaza and the West Bank after the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades demanded that all Swedes and Danes leave the territories.

The protests took a more threatening turn when an Iraqi militant group called for attacks against Danish and Norwegian targets after a Norwegian newspaper ran the cartoons.

A statement attributed to the Mujahideen Army, which was reported by Reuters in Dubai, said: ``Boycotting cheese and dairy products alone is a flimsy stance that fits a weak nation that cannot defend its Prophet. They started this and they have to shoulder the responsibilities.''

The 12 cartoons appeared in Jyllands-Posten, Denmark's biggest-selling broadsheet, on September 30.

They caused deep offence on two grounds: Islam bars any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad, and the cartoons were deemed grossly offensive.

Protests were initially confined mainly to Denmark, though there were demonstrations in Karachi and Muslims sent angry emails to Danish embassies.

Advertisements have appeared in newspapers in West Asia condemning the offensive cartoons.

``If we fail to tell the truth and defend the Prophet of truth we would rather be [buried] in the earth than living on its surface,'' an advertisement by the union of oil workers in Kuwait's Al-Qabas newspaper said.

Jordan's largest circulation newspaper, Al-Rai, called on the Danish Government to apologise.