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The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after complaints were made about twelve editorial cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The cartoons were printed in the Danish daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten on September 30 2005. Some of the cartoons were reprinted in the Norwegian Christian newspaper Magazinet on January 10 2006, and later in the German newspaper Die Welt, the French daily France Soir, and many other European newspapers. In response to an outcry from the Muslim community, the employment of the chief editor of France Soir was terminated by Raymond Lakah, the Franco-Egyptian (and Roman Catholic) owner of the newspaper.

The drawings, which include a depiction of Muhammad with a bomb in his turban, were meant as satirical illustrations accompanying an article on self-censorship and freedom of speech. Jyllands-Posten commissioned and published the cartoons in response to the difficulty of Danish writer Kåre Bluitgen to find artists to illustrate his children's book about Muhammad, for fear of violent attacks by extremist Muslims. Islamic teachings forbid the depiction of Muhammad as a measure against idolatry (see aniconism); however, in the past there have been non-satirical depictions of Muhammad by Muslims. Although Jyllands-Posten maintains that the drawings were an exercise in free speech, many people (Muslim and otherwise) in Denmark and elsewhere view them as provocative, offensive, disrespectful, blasphemic and islamophobic.

In reaction to the articles, several death threats have been made, resulting in two newspaper cartoonists reportedly going into hiding, and the newspaper enhancing its security precautions. The foreign ministries of eleven Islamic countries demanded action from the Danish government, and Libya eventually closed its embassy in Denmark in protest after the government refused to censure the newspaper or apologise. The Danish prime minister said, "The government refuses to apologise because the government does not control the media or a newspaper outlet; that would be in violation of the freedom of speech". A large consumer boycott was organised in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and elsewhere in other Arabic speaking countries. Recently the foreign ministers of seventeen Islamic countries renewed calls for the Danish government to punish those responsible for the cartoons, and to ensure that such cartoons are not published again. The Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League have demanded that the United Nations impose international sanctions upon Denmark. Protests have also taken place against the cartoons.

Timeline

Please note that there is information regarding this issue which is shown on the timeline but not here

Background

Debate about self-censorship

On September 17 2005, the Danish newspaper Politiken ran an article under the headline "Dyb angst for kritik af islam" ("Deep fear of criticism of Islam"). The article discussed the difficulty encountered by the writer Kåre Bluitgen, who was initially unable to find an illustrator who was prepared to work with Bluitgen on his children's book "Koranen og profeten Muhammeds liv" ("The Qur'an and the prophet Muhammad's life"). Three artists declined Bluitgen's proposal before an artist agreed to assist anonymously. According to Bluitgen:

One , with reference to the murder in Amsterdam of the film director Theo van Gogh, while another the lecturer at the Carsten Niebuhr Institute in Copenhagen. .

The refusal of the first three artists to participate was seen as evidence of self-censorship and led to much debate in Denmark, with other examples for similar reasons soon emerging. The comedian Frank Hvam declared that he did not dare satirise the Qur'an on television, while the translators of an essay collection critical of Islam also wished to remain anonymous due to concerns about violent reaction.

Publication of the drawings

On September 30 2005, the daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten ("The Jutland Post") published an article titled "Muhammeds ansigt" ("Muhammad's face"). The article consisted of 12 satirical caricatures of Muhammad and an explanatory text, in which Flemming Rose, Jyllands-Posten's culture editor, commented:

The modern, secular society is rejected by some Muslims. They demand a special position, insisting on special consideration of their own religious feelings. It is incompatible with contemporary democracy and freedom of speech, where you must be ready to put up with insults, mockery and ridicule. It is certainly not always equally attractive and nice to look at, and it does not mean that religious feelings should be made fun of at any price, but that is less important in this context. we are on our way to a slippery slope where no-one can tell how the self-censorship will end. That is why Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten has invited members of the Danish editorial cartoonists union to draw Muhammad as they see him. "

After an invitation from Jyllands-Posten for around forty different artists to give their interpretation on how Muhammad may have looked, twelve different caricaturists chose to respond with a drawing each. These twelve drawings portray Muhammad in different fashions; many also comment on the surrounding self-censorship debate. In the clockwise direction of their position in the page layout:

• The face of Muhammad as a part of the Islamic star and crescent symbol. His right eye the star, the crescent surrounds his beard and face.
• The most controversial drawing shows Muhammad with a bomb in his turban, with a lit fuse and the Islamic creed written on the bomb.
• Muhammad standing with a halo in the shape of a crescent moon.
• An abstract drawing of crescent moons and Stars of David, and a poem on oppression of women "Profet! Med kuk og knald i låget som holder kvinder under åget!". In English the poem could be read as: "Prophet! daft and dumb, keeping woman under thumb"
• Muhammad as a peaceful wanderer, in the desert, at sunset. There is a donkey in the background.
• One shows a nervous caricaturist, shakingly drawing Muhammad while looking over his shoulder.
• Two angry Muslims charge forward with sabres and bombs, while Muhammad addresses them with: "Rolig, venner, når alt kommer til alt er det jo bare en tegning lavet af en vantro sønderjyde" (loosely, "Relax guys, it's just a drawing made by some infidel South Jutlander". The reference is to a common Danish expression for a person from the middle of nowhere.)
• An Asian-looking boy in front of a blackboard, pointing to the Farsi chalkings, which translate into "the editorial team of Jyllands-Posten is a bunch of reactionary provocateurs". The boy is labelled "Mohammed, Valby school, 7.A", implying that this Muhammed is a second-generation immigrant to Denmark rather than the man Muslims believe was a prophet. On his shirt is written "Fremtiden" (the future). According to the editor of Jyllands Posten, he didn't know what was written on the blackboard before it was published.
• Another drawing shows an angry Muhammad with a short sabre and a black bar censoring his eyes. He is flanked by two women in niqaabs, having only their eyes visible.
• Muhammad standing on a cloud, greeting dead suicide bombers with "Stop Stop vi er løbet tør for Jomfruer!" ("Stop, stop, we have run out of virgins!"), an allusion to the promised reward to martyrs.
• Another shows Kåre Bluitgen, wearing a turban with the proverbial orange dropping into it, with the inscription "Publicity stunt". In his hand is a stick drawing of Muhammad. An "orange in the turban" is a Danish proverb meaning "a stroke of luck."

And in the center:

• A police line-up of seven people, with the witness saying: "Hm... jeg kan ikke lige genkende ham" ("Hm... I can't really recognise him"). Not all people in the line-up are immediately identifiable. They are: (1) A generic Hippie, (2) politician Pia Kjærsgaard, (3) possibly Jesus, (4) possibly Buddha, (5) possibly Muhammad, (6) a generic Indian Guru, and (7) journalist Kåre Bluitgen, carrying a sign saying: "Kåres PR, ring og få et tilbud" ("Kåre's public relations, call and get an offer")

Not all of these drawings were wholly new, according to the chief editor of Jyllands-Posten; one or more had already been published in the newspaper at earlier dates without drawing major criticism.

Police investigation on Jyllands-Posten

A number of Muslim organizations submitted complaints to the Danish police claiming that Jyllands-Posten had committed an offence under section 140 and 266b of the Danish Criminal Code.

Section 140 of the Criminal Code prohibits any person to publicly ridicule or insult the dogmas of worship of any lawfully existing religious community in Denmark. Section 266b criminalizes the dissemination of statements or other information by which a group of people are threatened, insulted or degraded on account of their religion. Danish police began its investigation of these complaints on 27 October 2005.

On 6 January 2006, the Regional Public Prosecutor in Viborg decided to discontinue the investigation as he found no basis for concluding that the cartoons constitutes a criminal offence. He stated that in assessing what constitutes an offence, the right to freedom of speech must be taken into consideration and that the right to freedom of speech must be exercised with the necessary respect for other human rights, including the right to protection against discrimination, insult and degradation.

Jyllands-Posten response

Jyllands-Posten published two open letters on its website, both in Danish and Arabic versions, and the second letter also in an English version. The second letter was dated 30 January.

Islamic tradition

According to various Hadith, any depiction of the prophets either in drawing or statues, even respectful ones, is banned out of concern that such images could lead to idolatry, and thus worshipping of Muhammad instead of the One God. (Notice that this includes other religious figures as well, like Moses and Jesus) Some schools of Islamic thought forbid the painting of any human beings, including Muhammad, others still forbid the painting of any living creature. Over the past two centuries, especially given increased contact with Western civilization, this prohibition has relaxed to the point where only the most orthodox Muslims oppose portraiture of people in general.

However, several representations of Muhammad in Islamic art do in fact exist. In mediæval times they were mostly Persian miniatures. A compromise solution emerged by which Muhammad is depicted with a veil covering his face. In both Islamic and Western cultures, depictions of Muhammad as a merchant have been made. In modern times however more and more controversial depictions have started to be distributed as a consequence of the ease of publication on the Internet.

Publications of offensive satirical pictures are different and considered blasphemous.

International consequences

On October 19, ten ambassadors from Islamic countries, including Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, as well as the head of the Palestinian delegation in Denmark, sent a letter to Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen requesting a meeting and asking him to distance himself from alleged "hate speech", including remarks by MP Louise Frevert, Culture Minister of Denmark Brian Mikkelsen, and the Radio Holger station. Rasmussen declined, saying that the government could not interfere with the right to free speech, but said that cases of blasphemy and discrimination could be tried before the courts , a reaction essentially seen as a snub by the Muslims, according to the International Herald Tribune.

On December 29, the Arab League criticised the Danish government for its handling of the affair. The Danish foreign minister Per Stig Møller responded, saying that the situation had been misrepresented.

In late January 2006, Saudi Arabia and Libya recalled their ambassadors for consultations - a traditional message of diplomatic displeasure - and Libya announced that it would close its embassy in Denmark . Pakistan's ambassador urged the Danish prime minister to penalise the cartoonists. In Bahrain, MPs called for an extraordinary session of parliament to discuss the cartoons, while protestors set Danish dairy products ablaze. Al Menbar MP Mohammed Khaled has demanded that Arab leaders take action: "We are stunned by the silence of the Arab leaders. They don't tolerate any criticism against them, yet allow others to insult the Prophet."

Demonstrations against the cartoons took place in several Arab countries and the flags of Denmark and Norway were burned in streets across the Middle East. The controversy produced labour strikes and protests in Pakistan, and mass demonstrations in Baghdad in Iraq. In Palestine, thousands of people participated in demonstrations and gunmen in the Gaza Strip threatened violence against any Scandinavians in the area. The European Union's Gaza offices were raided by 15 masked gunmen from the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. They demanded apologies from Denmark and Norway, but left 30 minutes later without any shots being fired or injuries caused.

The Danish foreign ministry advised Danes to take care when travelling in Muslim countries. At the same time the Danish government learned that a fatwa had been declared against the Danish troops stationed in Iraq. The government responded by heightening security for its troops.

Franco Frattini, the vice-President of the European Commission and EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom, and Security, called the publication of the twelve cartoons "thoughtless and inappropriate" in a time when European animosity towards Islam is said to be on the rise. According to Frattini, the cartoons foment hostility against Islam and foreigners:

Speaking in Qatar, former U.S. president Bill Clinton strongly criticised the Danish cartoons, comparing historical anti-semitism in Europe with anti-Islamic feeling today: "So now what are we going to do? ... Replace the anti-Semitic prejudice with anti-Islamic prejudice?"

Shia cleric Sistani condemned the cartoons but also commented about terrorists who discredit Islam by their acts. Sistani underlined how un-Islamic acts of extremism are used as justification to attack Islam.

On February 2, Palestinian gunmen shut down the EU headquarters in Gaza, in protest of the Jyllands-Posten drawings. According to CNN, "Masked members of the militant groups Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinians' former ruling party, Fatah, fired bullets into the air, and a man read the group's demands....The gunmen left a notice on the EU office's door that the building would remain closed until Europeans apologize to Muslims, many of whom consider the cartoons offensive." This is the second attack the groups have made on the EU headquarters in Gaza. One hostage, an unnamed German teacher, was taken and released the same day.

In response to the publication of the drawings, the UK Islamist group Al Ghurabaa publish an article on their website titled, "Kill those who insult the Prophet Muhammad". The article states, "The insulting of the Messenger Muhammad (saw) is something that the Muslims cannot and will not tolerate and the punishment in Islam for the one who does so is death. This is the sunnah of the prophet and the verdict of Islam upon such people, one that any Muslim is able execute."

Economic sanctions

In early January the Egyptian government threatened Denmark with an embargo of Danish products, but did not carry out its threat. Some citizens and major shops started a boycott on their own. People in Saudi Arabia called for a boycott on Danish products on January 20 and carried it out starting January 26. The boycott primarily targeted dairy products produced by Arla Foods, but has also hit other products such as Bang & Olufsen and Lego.

The boycott has spread to Kuwait where the country's largest retail chain, the state-owned Coop, has taken all Danish products off the shelves. This has lead to the Confederation of Danish Industries sending an open letter to Jyllands-Posten in which they state that the paper should comment on these events because they feel their members are caught in a "battle" between religious movements and the paper. The newspaper has reacted to the letter by saying that "Dictatorships should not dictate what Danish newspapers are to draw and write".

The Foreign Minister of Denmark, Per Stig Møller, stated that the boycott has not been initiated by the Saudi Arabian government. The Danish dairy company Arla Foods launched a massive ad campaign in Saudi Arabia, trying to improve their reputation and stop the boycott. This happened after their sales in Saudi Arabia almost came to a complete stop. The text for the ads was written by the Danish ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Hans Klingenberg, and includes passages from the Prime Minister of Denmark's New Year's speech. Arla exports account for almost 380 million Euros a year. Arla has halted production in the Saudi capital Riyadh and sent home 170 employees . Denmark is concerned about the potential loss of 11,000 jobs resulting from boycotts against Danish products in the Islamic world.

In the Nordic countries

On January 10, a marginal Norwegian Christian magazine, Magazinet, printed the drawings after getting authorisation from Jyllands-Posten. Major newspapers in Norway had printed facsimiles from Jyllands-Posten and reproduced all the caricatures in their online versions; a few days earlier, the Swedish newspaper Expressen had printed two of the drawings in conjunction with an article discussing the event. However, it was the Magazinet printing that led to a great debate in Norway. A Norwegian man made a threat against the lives of the people at the magazine, but later claimed, when faced by the police, that it was just a prank. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry sent a letter to their ambassadors in the Middle East stating that one of the pillars of the Norwegian society is freedom of speech, but they expressed regret that Magazinet did not respect Muslims' beliefs.

This is assumed to be the reason for actions directed at Sweden and Norway as well as Denmark. On January 30, Palestinian extremist groups demanded that all Scandinavians leave the country immediately. On January 30, an Islamic organisation, the Mujahedeen Army, called for terrorist acts against "all available targets" in Denmark and Norway. On January 31 bomb threats were made against the newspaper's offices in Århus and Copenhagen.

On February 1, an Icelandic newspaper published six of the twelve drawings, claiming support for the freedom of speech.

On February 1 Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja commented on the issue, and said that Denmark should have acted earlier and paid more attention to Muslim outrage over the offensive caricatures. Further, he said that the Danish government could apologise for the fact that religious feelings were offended, without endangering freedom of expression. Tuomioja indicated the belief that EU countries should together condemn the threats of violence.

Official government responses

• Afghanistan: President Hamid Karzai calls the printing of the images a mistake, and hopes that this will lead to the media being more responsible and respectful in the future.

• Bahrain: Bahrain's parliament demands an apology from Denmark's head of state, Queen Margrethe II, as well as from the government.

• Indonesia: A spokesman from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry condemns the caricatures, saying that freedom of expression should not be used as a pretext to insult a religion.

• Finland: The Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs criticises the Danish government for its slow actions on the matter.

• Pakistan: Upper House of parliament adopts a unanimous resolution condemning the Danish newspaper for publishing blasphemous and derogatory cartoons.

• Russia: Russia president Vladimir Putin indicates in a speech in the Kremlin that the Danish political authorities are using the theme of freedom of expression to protect those who have insulted the Muslims.

• Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is quoted in the Turkish press saying: "Caricatures of prophet Muhammad are an attack against our spiritual values. There should be a limit of freedom of press."

• United Arab Emirates: The Justice and Islamic Affairs Minister, Mohammed Al Dhaheri, calls the publication of the cartoon "cultural terrorism, not freedom of expression."

• United Kingdom: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw criticizes European newspapers for republishing the cartoons: "There is freedom of speech, we all respect that, ... But there is not any obligation to insult or to be gratuitously inflammatory. I believe that the republication of these cartoons has been unnecessary. It has been insensitive. It has been disrespectful and it has been wrong." Straw also praises British newspapers for their "considerable responsibility and sensitivity" in not printing the cartoons.

• United States: The United States has issued a statement saying: "we all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable." A State Department spokesman said that the images are offensive, but added that U.S. also support the rights of individuals to express their freely held views and that it's not for the U.S. Government to dictate what is printed in the media. .

United Nations

• The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, and Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance requests the Permanent Danish Mission to the UN to deliver their observations of the case.

• Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern over the cartoons and said that United Nations is investigating racism of Danish cartoonists.

European Union

• The European Union backed Denmark on 30 January, saying that any retaliatory boycott of Danish goods would violate world trade rules.

Violence against Christians in the Middle East

On January 29 six churches in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Kirkuk were targeted by car bombs, killing 13-year-old worshipper Fadi Raad Elias. No militants claimed to be retaliating for the pictures, nor is this the first time Iraqi churches have been bombed; but the bishop of the church stated "The church blasts were a reaction to the cartoons published in European papers. But Christians are not responsible for what is published in Europe." Many Assyrians in Iraq now feel like "Westerners should not give wild statements everyone can attack us " and "Today I'm afraid to walk the streets, because I'm Christian." ] Also on January 29, a Muslim Cleric in the Iraqi city of Mosul issued a fatwa stating, "Expel the Crusaders and infidels from the streets, schools, and institutions because they have offended the person of the prophet." It has been reported that Muslim students beat up a Christian student at Mosul University in response to the fatwa on the same day. On February 2, Palestinians in the West Bank handed out a leaflet signed by a Fatah militant group and Islamic Jihad stating, "Churches in Gaza could come under attack".

Reactions in support of Jyllands-Posten

Various people and groups, including conservatives, liberals, anti-Islamist groups, freedom of speech proponents, anticlericalists and American weblogs have initiated a Buy Danish Goods campaign, which is intended to counter the boycott from Middle East countries.

The president of Reporters Without Borders Robert Ménard says that Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten has taught the world a thing or two about free speech and that there is nothing for which to apologise.

On February 1, French newspaper France Soir reproduced the caricatures, along with a caricature of Buddha, Muhammad and the Christian and Jewish gods all sitting on a cloud. The front page read: “Oui, on a le droit de caricaturer Dieu” ("Yes, there is a right to caricature God").

The French foreign minister supported the right to free press, but added that it must be used "in a spirit of tolerance and with respect for beliefs and religions". Nicolas Sarkozy, Interior Minister and presidential candidate, said on LCI television that he "preferred an excess of caricature to an excess of censorship" and pointed out that it is, if necessary, up to the courts to judge whether caricatures go beyond what is reasonable to publish, and not to the governments of Muslim countries. The drawings were by this point published in newspapers all over Europe (see timeline). Later that day, the France Soir editor who published the cartoons was fired by the paper's owner, a Franco-Egyptian and Roman Catholic (see note in timeline for February 1). Le Monde published in the first page of its February 3 issue a satirical cartoon by Plantu mocking the prohibition of drawing Muhammad.

Websites have started Support Denmark campaigns and online petitions, while weblogs have published their own parodies of the cartoons.

The Dutch conservative politician Geert Wilders placed the cartoons on his website "to support the Danish cartoonists and to stand up for freedom of speech."

Opinions

Opinions in Denmark

A poll on January 29 from Epinion for Danmarks Radio, the national broadcasting company of Denmark, showed that of 579 Danes asked, 79% believe that the Prime Minister of Denmark should not apologise to the Muslims, with 48% citing that would be political interference with the freedom of press, while 44% thought the Prime Minister should try harder to resolve the controversy. 62% of those asked believed that Jyllands-Posten shouldn't apologise either, and while 58% did feel that while it was the right of Jyllands-Posten to publish the images, they could understand the Muslim criticism.

The organisation named Islamic Society in Denmark wanted the case put forward for a trial to determine whether the publication of the drawings had violated any "hate speech" laws, but the case was dismissed by the public prosecutor before it went to trial because he found there was no basis for such a trial.

The question of whether the drawings should have been printed in the first place has been intensively discussed in Denmark from letters to the editors of news publications, to national television, to open debate meetings at high schools and universities. The controversy arises from several sources:

• Most Islamic traditions forbid representations of Muhammad.
• The satirical nature of the drawings was not considered respectful, especially one that shows Muhammad with a bomb in his turban and therefore highlights the link between Islam and terrorism .
• The drawings upset the Muslim community in Denmark at a time when relations between Muslims and mainstream society are strained.

The Islamic Society in Denmark has proposed that a three day celebration of Muhammad should be held in Denmark, putting a focus on Muhammad's life. They further proposed that this be coordinated in part by the Islamic Society, Jyllands-Posten, and at least some of the five universities in Denmark. This was declined by the universities, as they do not take part in religious activities.

The editor who originally approved the cartoons, Carsten Juste, later declared that the opponents of free speech had "won," because the furor would almost undoubtedly deter future editors from printing anything similar. He thought it unlikely that anyone would print a caricature of Muhammad within a generation. He also said that, had he known exactly what the consequences would be, that is death threats, boycotts and terror threats, he would not have printed the cartoons.

Many people in Denmark have criticised the government's handling of the affair, particularly the prime-minister's decision not to meet with the Islamic ambassadors in October. Twenty-two former ambassadors sent an open letter to the prime-minister criticising his decision not to open a dialogue with the international representatives.

Opinions in the Muslim world

A great many Muslims were angered by the publication of what they considered offensive images. This anger has been expressed in public protests, newspaper articles, emails, and SMS messages in Arabic and Islamic countries. Although the artists have denied representing Mohammed as a terrorist, many Muslims felt that "a bomb in a turban, with a lit fuse and the Islamic creed written on the bomb" suggested a connection between Muhammad and terrorism. On the other hand, protesters in the UK bore posters proclaiming that the perpetrators should be slain or beheaded.

Other Arabs and Muslims have expressed their condemnation of the cartoons: "In (the West) it is considered freedom of speech if they insult Islam and Muslims," Mohammed al-Shaibani, a columnist, wrote in Kuwait's Al-Qabas daily Monday. "But such freedom becomes racism and a breach of human rights and anti-Semitism if Arabs and Muslims criticize their religion and religious laws."

The public anger was accompanied by a condemnation from Arabic and Islamic governments. The Muslim World League (MWL) called on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to activate international laws against insolence toward religion.

The Justice and Islamic Affairs Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Al Dhaheri, called it "cultural terrorism, not freedom of expression," according to the official WAM news agency. "The repercussions of such irresponsible acts will have adverse impact on international relations." In Tunisia, Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, president of the Islamic Organization for Education, Science and Culture (the Islamic world's counterpart to UNESCO) called the drawings "a form of racism and discrimination that one must counter by all available means." He said, "It's regrettable to state today, as we are calling for dialogue, that other parties feed animosity and hate and attack sacred symbols of Muslims and of their prophet," said also Jordan's largest circulation daily, government-run Al-Rai, said the Danish government must apologize.

The condemnations have also come from Iran by The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Conference, saying: "It is evident that the intention of Jylland Posten was motivated to incite hatred and violence against Muslims. By exposing the level of understanding of Islamic religion and its symbols the dailies have seriously damaged their credibility in the eyes of Muslim world and harmed democracy, freedom of the press, violated decency and civilized norms." Iran-The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)

However, not all Muslims placed blame entirely on the West. In Iraq, the country's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, decried the drawings but did not call for protests. Al-Sistani suggested that militant Muslims were partly to blame for distorting Islam's image. In the United Arab Emirates, the periodical Al-Ittihad published an opinion piece which argued that "the world has come to believe that Islam is what is practiced by Bin Laden, Zawahiri, Zarqawi, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafis, and others who have presented a distorted image of Islam. We must be honest with ourselves and admit that we are the reason for these drawings."

A Jordanian paper, Shihan, also published the cartoons, urging Muslims to "be reasonable." An editorial, written by Editor Jihad Momeni -- a former Jordanian senator -- asked: "Who offends Islam more? A foreigner who endeavors to draw the prophet as described by his followers in the world, or a Muslim with an explosive belt who commits suicide in a wedding party in Amman or elsewhere." Momeni was fired from his position shortly after publication of his editorial, copies of the paper were recalled, and he later issued a public apology.

International opinion

Some commentators have remarked on the polarisation of the issue, and the vested interests involved in that polarisation. For example, Tariq Ramadan, a member of Tony Blair's committee to combat Islamic extremism, sees an "unholy alliance" between the anti-immigrant right wing in Europe and the dictatorial regimes in the Middle East. Some seek to portray Muslims as enemies of Western values and incapable of integration in European society. At the same time various dictatorial regimes in the Islamic world seek to unite their populations behind them by creating external enemies, which they claim are attacking Islam. By polarising the issue these two groups have increased the division between Islamic and Western society. Jack Straw condemned the publication of the cartoons on continental newspapers whilst praising the British media for 'considerable responsibility and sensitivity'. British newspapers took an unusually similar editorial line on the issue, even those considered on the 'right' criticised the intellectual justifications given by Continental titles.

Rumours and disinformation

Story about bounty

On December 2 Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende published a story on their front page indicating that the Pakistani religious party, Jamaat-e-Islami had put a bounty of $10,000 on any of the cartoonists, and that this had been published in several Pakistani newspapers and other media. Berlingske Tidende's main source was the Danish Embassy in Pakistan. However there was no indication in Pakistan that any fliers had been distributed encouraging people to commit such a crime, and it was revealed that just one newspaper contained a small footnote article referring to the bounty, as opposed to what had been written in the Danish newpaper.

Additional images

A Muslim religious organisation in Denmark, Islamisk Trossamfund, has brought attention to the cartoons during a tour of the Middle-East, and has allegedly represented that Muslims in Denmark have been exposed to much more overtly offensive images. However, these additional images (, , ), none of which had previously been published by any mainsteam media outlet, would be considered deliberately profane and obscene by many non-Muslims. On February 1 BBC World aired a story showing one of these three images, and incorrectly claimed that it had been published in Jyllands-Posten.

Akhmad Akkari, spokesman of the Danish Muslim organisations which organised the tour, claimed to be unaware of the origin of the three pictures, claiming that they had been sent by unknown persons to Muslims in Denmark. Arkkari purported to justify the use of the three drawings as providing "insight in how hateful the atmosphere in Denmark is towards Muslims." However, when Akkari was asked if the Muslims who had received these pictures could be interviewed, Akkari refused to reveal their identities.

Exaggerated membership

Further questions have been raised about the legitimacy of Islamisk Trossamfund's claims and actions. During its tour of the Middle East, the organisation claimed to represent 21 different Muslim organisations in Denmark, however many of these groups have disclaimed any connection. The organisation also appears to have significantly exaggerated its membership, claiming to represent all 200,000 Muslims in Denmark, when its actual membership is believed to be fewer than 15,000, and about 500 to 1,000 people attend their Friday prayer gathering each week.

Ambiguous statements of Ahmad Abu Laban

Despite informing Danish media that he would try to stop the boycotts, the leader of the organisation, Imam Ahmad Abu Laban, went on to state during an interview with Al Jazeera that "If the Muslim countries decide to boycott and if the Muslim citizens feel it's their duty to defend the prophet, then it is something we can be happy about".. In a press release dated February 2 2006, Abu Laban said that during the interview he was referring to Muslim respect for Muhammad, not the boycotts. . Ahmad Abu Laban has previously been declared officially unwelcome in several Arab states.

In response to Danish Muslims who criticised Denmark in Arab territories, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, "I am speechless that those people, whom we have given the right to live in Denmark and where they freely have chosen to stay, are now touring Arab countries and inciting antipathy towards Denmark and the Danish people".

Additional confusions

Further disinformation which has reportedly spread among Arab Muslims include claims that Jyllands-Posten is a government-owned newspaper (it is privately owned). For example, the spokesman for the Danish delegation Muhammed al Samha, and delegation member Ahmed al-Harbi said in the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram: "Jyllands-Posten, a newspaper belonging to the ruling Danish party — an extreme right-wing party — publishing drawings and sketches of the prophet Muhammad." Rasmussen demanded an apology from the Islamic Society in Denmark for spreading disinformation about the newspaper and the party. Though there now are no ties the newspaper has historically had an overlap with the party of the Rasmussen in opinion and subscribers.

Other claims include statements that Danish newspapers are running a campaign against Islam and that the Danish government is planning to publish a censored version of the Qur'an. The confusion might have arisen because of the recent publication of Kåre Bluitgen's children's book Koranen og profeten Muhammeds liv ("The Qur'an and the life of Prophet Muhammed"). It is not published by the government but by an independent publisher (Høst og Søn).

Muslim organizations in Denmark

During a high profile television interview with the leaders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades by SVT's (the Swedish Broadcasting Company) news journal, Rapport, the Islamic Society in Denmark was incorrectly described as "an organisation officially representing the Muslim community in Denmark", and failed to provide any comments or views from non-Muslim or Danish government sources, or any opportunity for countercomments.

Confusion between editors-in-chief

Per Kokkvold, the general secretary of the Norwegian Press Society has incorrectly been identified as both the editor-in-chief of Jyllands-Posten, and the artist who created the drawings. His picture has been shown on Al-Arabiya and other TV channels, as well as in printed and online newspapers. Kokkvold has attempted to correct this error, but is not optimistic of success, "if foreign newpapers are as bad at correcting their mistakes as Norwegian ones."

Comparable incidents

Freedom of speech versus blasphemy

Other controversial newspaper caricatures

Other similar freedom of speech incidents

• Larry Flynt, publisher of the pornographic magazine Hustler, was shot in 1978, permanently paralysing him from the waist down. The perpetrator stated he was outraged by an interracial photo shoot in Hustler.
• Tatiana Soskin was sentenced to two years in jail by an Israeli court for drawing a cartoon depicting Muhammad as a pig.
• Orhan Pamuk, an internationally well-known Turkish author, was charged under Turkish law, after the author made a statement on the alleged killings of 1 million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds in Anatolia in 1915-1917. The charges were dropped on January 22 2006.
• David Irving, a British Holocaust denier, was arrested in Austria in November 2005 for offenses related to Holocaust denial. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
• In U.K. incitement to racial hatred is an offence under the Public Order Act 1986 with a maximum sentence of up to seven years imprisonment. In Victoria, Australia, the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001, prohibits conduct that incites hatred against or serious contempt for, or involves revulsion or severe ridicule of another on the grounds of his race or religious beliefs.
• Law banning U.S. flag desecration has been passed several times in the U.S. Congress and various state legislature which was later all overturned in the Supreme Court. Starting in 1989, the legislatures of all 50 states have passed non-binding resolutions memorializing Congress to propose the constitutional amendment banning flag-desecration to the states for ratification. Additionally, countless local governments and civic organizations have sent non-binding petitions to Congress asking that this amendment be proposed for ratification.
• Anti-Israel and anti-Semitic protests often display the Flag of Israel with the Star of David at its center replaced by a Swastika.
• When the emperor Showa (Hirohito) died, the mayor of Nagasaki, Hotoshi Motoyama, stated "I believe there is war responsiblity to the emperor". He was later shot in the chest by a Japanese ultra nationalist.
• In 2005 an Italian judge ordered the website Indymedia Italia to be shut down for vilification of Catholicism because it published some photomontages of Pope Benedict XVI in a Nazi uniform.
• The Indian-born British writer Salman Rushdie was sentenced to death by Ruhollah Khomeini for his book The Satanic Verses on alleged mentions of aspects of Muhammad's life. Since then, Rushdie lives in hiding. Rushdie's Japanese translator, Hitoshi Igarishi, was stabbed and killed at the university where he taught in Tsukuba, north of Tokyo, and his Italian translator was beaten and stabbed in Milan. In 1993, Rushdie's Norwegian publisher William Nygaard was shot and severely injured in an attack outside his house in Oslo. Thirty-seven people died when their hotel in Sivas, Turkey was burnt down by locals protesting against Aziz Nesin, Rushdie's Turkish translator.

See also

• Blasphemy in Islam
• Cultural relativism
• Freedom of speech and freedom of the press in Denmark
• Freedom of the press
• Freedom of speech
• Timeline of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

References

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33. "Protest grows over cartoons of Prophet Muhammad; gunmen seize Gaza office". 2006-01-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
34. "Muslim Sabbath Marked by Fury". 2006-02-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
36. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2006/60394.htm
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41. "Palestinian Militants Threaten Churches and Close EU Office Over Cartoons". date. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
42. "Buy Danish! to counter the Islamic boycott". ?. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
43. Template:Da icon"Kontra-boykot forsøges bygget op i USA". 2006-01-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
44. Template:Da icon"Journalister støtter Jyllands-Posten". 2006-02-01. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
45. "France enters Muslim cartoon row". 2006-02-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
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51. "Proposal on three day celebration". 2006-02-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
52. Template:Da icon"Jyllands-Postens redaktør: »De har vundet«". 2006-02-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
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54. Transclusion error: {{En}} is only for use in File namespace. Use {{langx|en}} or {{in lang|en}} instead.freepublic.com
55. Template:En iconcrisscross
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57. Template:Da icon "DUSØREN, DER FORSVANDT". {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
58. "Scandinavian Update: Israeli Boycott, Muslim Cartoons". 2006-01-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
59. Template:Da icon"Imam viste falske billeder". 2006-01-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
60. Template:Da icon"Viste pædofil Muhamed". 2006-01-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
61. Template:Da icon"Abu Laban opfinder vrede muslimer". 2006-01-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
62. Template:Da icon"Vil isolere imamer i den politiske debat". 2005-06-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
63. Template:Da icon"Abu Laban taler med to tunger". 2006-02-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
64. Template:Da icon"Abu Laban: Jeg støtter ikke selve boykotten". 2006-02-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
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66. Template:Sv icon"Ursäkten godtas inte". 2006-01-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |org= ignored (help)
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External links

• Template:Da icon The official home-page of Jyllands-Posten
• The page of Jylland-Posten that contains Muhammad cartoons

Official correspondence

• The letter to the Prime Minister from the Muslim ambassadors (PDF)
• First open letter in Arabic to the Muslims of Saudi Arabia from Jyllands-Posten (PDF)
• Second open letter to the Muslims of Saudi Arabia from Jyllands-Posten
  • In Arabic (PDF)
  • In English
• The EU Commission's vice-chairman, Franco Frattini (on this issue)

Islamic views

• Danish cartoons and sacred imagery

News sites

• BBC News article: Q&A: Depicting the Prophet Muhammad
• World press review by BBC Monitoring
• Protests over images

Support for Denmark and Jyllands-Posten

• Support Denmark Campaign
• Petition to support Jyllands-Posten

Images

• Jihad Against Danish Newspaper - We are all Danes now
• Mohammed Image Archive (historical depictions of Muhammad. Warning: includes intentionally offensive post-controversy pictures)
  • Mirror site: info2us.dk Mirror site
• Enlargeable images link

Academic analysis

• Complexity and Social Networks Blog at Harvard University discusses and applies various social network theories to the recent event.

• Current events
• Islam and controversy
• Transgressive art