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Muslim Cartoons Spark Increased Protests, Anger

By Erick Stakelbeck
Washington Terror Analyst

CBN.com – WASHINGTON - There is a growing sense of outrage in the Muslim world over editorial cartoons in European newspapers that poke fun at the Muslim prophet Mohammed.

Armed terrorists surrounded the European Union's offices in Gaza Thursday, demanding an apology from European governments.

And an influential Egyptian cleric has called for today to be an "International Day of Anger" over the cartoons.

The protests in Gaza grow more heated with each passing day. Gunmen from Fatah and Islamic Jihad are now threatening to kidnap any Europeans in the Palestinian territories, and they're demanding apologies from the governments of France, Norway, Germany, and Denmark.

Each of those countries published the cartoons. One of the images shows Mohammed wearing a bomb-shaped turban. Another shows him surrounded by two burka-clad women.

Fatah gunmen said, "We give the Danish, French, and Spanish governments 48 hours to officially apologize, or else. If an anti-Islam demonstration goes ahead in Denmark next Saturday, we will bomb the EU and all European Headquarters and churches in Gaza."

A Danish newspaper first published the cartoons back in September as a way to promote freedom of expression. But when other European papers began re-printing them last month, outrage spread throughout the Muslim world.

Islamic tradition forbids any depiction of Mohammed. But many Europeans argue that Muslims' religious sensitivities should never trump western traditions of free speech.

Arnaud Levy the editor of France Soir, said, “I think, by printing those cartoons, we raise an issue. The issue is very clear, and talks to everyone: how to conciliate respect for religious beliefs, and on the other hand, the freedom of the press, the freedom of expression in a modern democracy.”

Calls to boycott Danish goods have intensified across the Middle East. Libya and Saudi Arabia have even pulled their ambassadors from Copenhagen. But the Danish government--while expressing some regret--has refused to apologize for the cartoons.

The European Union has issued a statement calling the violence and talk of boycotts unacceptable, and defending the press's right to publish the cartoons. Even a Jordanian newspaper has reprinted three of the images--calling on Muslims around the world to "be reasonable."

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