.bmp)
.bmp)
Norway’s major newspapers have no plans to publish the controversial "Mohammad Cartoons", following the decision by Denmark's leading newspapers to reprint them today...The cartoons depict the Prophet Mohammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban, a move that irritated Muslim leaders.The Danish papers said they wanted to show their firm commitment to freedom of speech after Tuesday's arrest in Denmark of three people accused of plotting to kill the man who drew the cartoon.The drawing, by Kurt Westergaard, and 11 other cartoons depicting Mohammad, enraged Muslims two years ago when they appeared in a range of Western newspapers.A Swedish cartoonist was also apparently a target of terrorist action for having portrayed Muhammad as a dog in his work.Denmark’s Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which first published the 12 drawings on September 30, 2005, reprinted Westergaard's cartoon in its paper edition Wednesday.A total of 11 major Danish dailies, including Politiken and Berlingske Tidende, also reprinted the drawing, which shows Mohammad wearing a turban shaped like a bomb with a lit fuse."We are doing this to document what is at stake in this case, and to unambiguously back and support the freedom of speech that we as a newspaper will always defend," said the Copenhagen-based Berlingske Tidende.Tabloid Ekstra Bladet reprinted all 12 drawings."We have always been cautious about our use of text, pictures, and photos," said Norway’s Aftenposten editor-in-chief Hans Erik Matre."But we will, of course, cover the issue in a newsworthy way," he added.Shortly after the cartoons were originally printed in 2005, Norwegian Christian publication "Magazinet" also chose to publish facsimiles of the 12 Mohammad-caricatures.Vebjørn Selbekk was the editor of Magazinet at the time. He thinks it is a good thing that Danish newspapers are now re-printing the cartoons in solidarity with the threatened Westergaard.Selbekk is of the opinion that Norwegian newspapers that have not printed them previously should also print the cartoons to show solidarity with their colleagues in other lands.Today's Danish actions came in response to Tuesday's news that Danish intelligence police had arrested two Tunisians and a Danish citizen of Moroccan origin for plotting to kill Westergaard.Intelligence police chief Jakob Scharf said the Danish suspect would likely be released after questioning, but could still face charges of violating a Danish terror law.The two Tunisians are to be expelled from Denmark because they are considered threats to national security, he said.Danish Muslim leaders condemned the alleged murder plot, but also said reprinting Westergaard's cartoon was the wrong way to protest. "There could have been other ways to do it without the drawing, which I personally do not like," Abdul Wahid Petersen, a moderate imam, told The Associated Press (AP).Imam Mostafa Chendid, the leader of the Islamic Faith Community, said his group was considering staging a rally in front of Parliament.The Copenhagen-based group spearheaded protests against the cartoons."We are so unhappy about the cartoon being reprinted," Chendid told the AP. "No blood was ever shed in Denmark because of this, and no blood will be shed. We are trying to calm down people, but let's see what happens. Let's open a dialogue.Massive protests swept the Muslim world in early 2006 following the publishing of the cartoons. Angry mobs burned the Danish flag and attacked the country's embassies in Muslim countries, including Syria, Iran and Lebanon.Danish products were boycotted in several Muslim countries. http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2254162.eceAs in the days of Noah....
