Kurt Westergaard - A hero of Western civillisation (and some nice pics of Mohammed)

[Tsontos]

Bravo to Denmark, to Westergaard and to his paper for not crumbling to islamic extremist dribble. Shame on the U.S and other jihadist accomidating clowns for feeling it was necessary to make a statement criticising the depiction of their moohamed.

Five arrested in Danish cartoon murder plot

By Julian Isherwood, Scandinavia Correspondent
Last Updated: 3:59am GMT 13/02/2008

Heavily-armed Danish police today arrested five men alleged to have been planning to murder one of the cartoonists behind the controversial images of the Prophet Mohammed that caused uproar in the Islamic world.

The reported target of the alleged plot was Kurt Westergaard, one of 12 cartoonists commissioned by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper to produce caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed two years ago.

Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard
Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard

Westergaard's cartoon, which was reprinted by Jyllands-Posten today, was seen at the time as the most controversial, as it depicted the prophet with a bomb in his turban.

"The security service has not wanted to run any risks and chose to act at a very early stage," Jacob Scharf, Denmark's police intelligence service chief, said.

"Tonight's operation has been a preventive measure."

Police raided several addresses at 5am this morning, detaining five men - three Danish nationals and two foreigners.

It is not clear whether the five have been charged, or whether they were being detained under counter-terrorism legislation. Early reports suggested that the two foreigners were likely to be deported from Denmark.

Carsten Juste, the editor-in-chief of Jyllands-Posten, said: "We are happy that the security services have acted."
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He added that the newspaper had been aware of an alleged plot for some time and that Westergaard was in good spirits "under the circumstances".

In a statement on the newspaper's website, Westergaard said: "Of course I fear for my life after the Danish security and intelligence service informed me of the plans of certain people to kill me.

"However, I have turned fear into anger and indignation. It has made me angry that a perfectly normal everyday activity which I used to do by the thousand was abused to set off such madness.

"I have attended to my work and I still do. I could not possibly have known how long I would have to live under police protection; I think, however, that the impact of the insane response to my cartoon will last for the rest of my life. It is sad indeed, but it has become a fact of my life."

The cartoons inflamed anti-Danish and anti-Western sentiment among Muslims across the world.

Denmark's cartoon crisis began in September 2005 when the Jyllands-Posten cultural editor Flemming Rose commissioned 12 satirical drawings about the Prophet Mohammed as part of a discussion on free speech.

In January 2006, after both the newspaper and the Danish government refused Muslim demands for an apology, a wave of violence ensued during which several Danish embassies were set alight, a boycott of Danish goods was encouraged across the Muslim world and violent anti-Danish demonstrations were held, particularly in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Several demonstrators were killed in separate incidents as security forces sought to control the protests.

Denmark's justice minister said today that the security service had not wanted to run any "unnecessary risk".

"It is clear that suspicions about preparations of such a serious crime give rise to deep concern. The security service has not, however, deemed it necessary to raise the general threat level," Lene Espersen said.

The chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Faith in Denmark said that his organisation saw the cartoon issue as "closed". "

There is freedom of speech in Denmark, and we have closed this issue," Kassem Ahmad said. His organisation was one of the groups in Denmark that unsuccessfully demanded an apology from the Danish state and sanctions against Jyllands-Posten.

[pankration]

Although philosophically I disapprove of any religion being mocked, how can you extend that respect to a group that supported the destruction of some of the holiest Buddhist shrines in Afghanistan? I hate hypocrisy in any faith but Islamic fundamentalism has crossed all lines and if it is allowed to dictate laws and morals in foreign countries we might as well surrender now.

[Rob]

These two photographs were taken in the Church of Our Lady in Dendermonde, Flanders (Belgium). They show the late 17th century pulpit, sculpted in wood by Mattheus van Beveren. The person subdued by the angels and having a Koran in his hands is generally thought to be Mohammed. The sculpture represents the triumph of christianity over islam.

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/982

[Rob]

Mohammed Image Archive - Depictions of Mohammed Throughout History

Good site.

[Tsontos]

Interesting site Rob.

[Tsontos]

Originally Posted by pankration

Although philosophically I disapprove of any religion being mocked, how can you extend that respect to a group that supported the destruction of some of the holiest Buddhist shrines in Afghanistan? I hate hypocrisy in any faith but Islamic fundamentalism has crossed all lines and if it is allowed to dictate laws and morals in foreign countries we might as well surrender now.

If we were to respect the taboos of all religions we wouldnt be able to move. All religions should be mocked, criticised and tested. I thought we got passed that stage in the middle ages.

The funny thing is, as much as people talk about America's war on Islam, it was the U.S who actually dared to criticise the Danish paper for publishing the cartoons. SHouldnt come as much of a surprise as there isnt much separating Bush and Jihadists in terms of religious extremism.

Islam has no place in Europe in my opinion.

[pankration]

Originally Posted by Tsontos

If we were to respect the taboos of all religions we wouldnt be able to move. All religions should be mocked, criticised and tested. I thought we got passed that stage in the middle ages.

The funny thing is, as much as people talk about America's war on Islam, it was the U.S who actually dared to criticise the Danish paper for publishing the cartoons. SHouldnt come as much of a surprise as there isnt much separating Bush and Jihadists in terms of religious extremism.

Islam has no place in Europe in my opinion.

I'll agree with criticized and tested. No faith is untouchable. But mocking a faith denigrates those who believe in it and who are we to say that your beliefs are any better or worse. Just my opinion.