Cartoonist shrugs at Islamic death threat: ‘It’s good to know how much one is worth’

[Logan13]

Here we go again.......
Cartoonist shrugs at Islamic death threat: ‘It’s good to know how much one is worth’
http://www.ti****nline.co.uk/tol/new...SS&attr=797093

Swedish companies lowered their profile in the Middle East yesterday amid fears that a newspaper cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog could spark bloody reprisals.

Ericsson, the telecoms giant, removed the Swedish flag from offices in several countries including Iraq after a statement purporting to be from al-Qaeda put a $100,000 (£50,000) bounty on the head of the cartoonist, Lars Vilks.

The statement, in the name of Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, head of al-Qaeda in Iraq, offered a 50 per cent bonus if Mr Vilks was “slaughtered like a lamb” by having his throat cut. It also placed $50,000 on the life of Ulf Johansson, editor-in-chief of Nerikes Allehanda, the local newspaper that printed the cartoon last month.

Muslim leaders in Sweden condemned the threats and Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Prime Minister, has sought to calm tensions over the cartoon at a meeting with ambassadors from 22 Islamic countries. The row recalls the controversy over 12 cartoons lampooning Islam published in a Danish newspaper in 2005 that provoked violent demonstrations, including attacks on Danish embassies.

Islam forbids as idolatry any depiction of Muhammad, and Sweden, which has about 350,000 Muslims among a population of 9.1 million, has been consumed by a fierce debate over freedom of expression after the publication in the newspaper based in the western town of Örebro.

Mr Vilks, who lives in an isolated area of Sweden, has been given police protection. He said: “I suppose you could say I was an easy target. But I am not paranoid. I think I possess a healthy rationality; I know that there are some risks involved but one should not exaggerate them either.”

But he added: “We must not give in. I’m starting to grow old. I could die at any time — it’s not a catastrophe.”

The internet threat stated: “We know how to force you to apologise. If you do not, expect us to strike the businesses of firms like Ericsson, Scania, Volvo, Ikea and Electrolux.”

Åse Lindskog, a spokeswoman for Ericsson, said that staff had been told to keep a low profile in Muslim countries and to take extra care in deciding where to go or park their cars.

Helena Benouda, head of the Muslim Council of Sweden, denounced the threats. “We do not think like this. It is criminal to call to kill somebody. It is really unnecessary and it is ugly, especially in the month of Ramadan.”

Egypt, Iran and Pakistan have lodged formal protests with the Swedish Government and religious leaders in Afghanistan and Jordan have condemned the cartoon.

Mr Reinfeldt yesterday used a TV interview to appeal for calm. “We shall deny all who call for the use of violence and keep at bay the extremists’ attempts to worsen the issue,” he said.

He said that the Government had been watching developments closely, including monitoring media reports in the Muslim world and talking to Muslim representatives in Sweden and abroad. The Swedish Foreign Ministry has also advised its nationals to exercise caution in the Middle East.

Mr Vilks arrived back in Sweden from Germany yesterday and made light of the assassination call. “I suppose that this makes my art project a bit more serious. It is also good to know how much one is worth,” he said. Mr Johansson said that he had already received a number of threats via e-mail and telephone. He added: “I have received various types of threats but none have been so explicit. This is a direct death sentence.”

The Swedish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Jan Thesleff, met Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, head of the Organisation for the Islamic Conference (OIC), last week in Jeddah and offered his “deepest apologies for the controversy created by the publishing of the hurtful depiction”, according to a statement from the 57-nation group.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry, however, immediately denied that the Ambassador had made any apology, saying that he had only expressed regret. A spokeswoman said: “The Ambassador repeated his regret at the controversy created by the publication, but not for the publication itself.”

A leading Swedish daily newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, yesterday republished the cartoon in an act of solidarity with the local paper that first printed it.

Thorbjörn Larsson, the editor, said in an opinion piece: “We live in a country where freedom of expression is not dictated by fundamentalists, nor by governments. To me, publishing it was the obvious thing to do.”

The daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet urged Swedes to defend their right to free speech in the face of religious fanaticism. It said: “Freedom of expression is not a privilege for the media companies and journalists but a guarantee that citizens can have different impressions, numerous sources of information and inspiration, as well as the possibility of drawing their own conclusions.”

The decision by Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper, to publish 12 cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in September 2005 caused international Muslim anger on a level not seen since the release of Salman Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses. The publication was prompted by writer Kåre Bluitgen, who claimed that artists were too scared of Islamic reprisals to provide illustrations for his book about the life of Muhammad.

— The printed cartoons included one depicting Muhammad greeting suicide bombers in heaven, saying: “Stop. Stop. We have run out of virgins!” — some Muslims believe that male suicide bombers are rewarded with 72 virgins. Another cartoon, however, depicted a Danish boy called Muhammad writing in Arabic on a blackboard the words: “Jyllands-Posten’s journalists are a bunch of reactionary provocateurs.”

— At least two Muslim countries recalled their ambassadors to Denmark. The resulting protests lasted six months and led to the deaths of dozens of people.

— Jyllands-Posten apologised in January last year, but to show solidarity with the newspaper a Norwegian paper, a Canadian magazine and two French publications reprinted the cartoons.

[scriptfactory]

This is so ridiculous. I wish the media would ignore these kind of threats. Even printing these stories just gives the extremists power they shouldn't have.

[kfrost06]

I am a firm believer in the freedom of the press but one should be respectful to others religions. Printing something simply to offend an entire culture is questionable. Of course, it doesn't warrent death in any way shape or form but why try to offend something others hold to be so sacred? Because you know it will get a rise?

[Kärnfysikern]

Every newspaper should publish the picture and tell al-Qaeda to go **** themself.

[NotSmall]

Every newspaper should publish the picture and tell al-Qaeda to go **** themself.

That is genius - if every single newspaper around the globe published them then what exactly could the hateful bastards do then?

[kfrost06]

I feel that way too but it doesn't just effect al-Qaeda there are a lot of very decent law abiding muslims that will be offended about such cartoons. It's a fine line I know, I am not saying such cartoons should be banned but to print something to offend a sect of one group at the cost of the entire group seems wrong to me. Printing such tripe will put a wedge between "us and them" and plays into exactly what al-Qaeda wants.

[NotSmall]

I feel that way too but it doesn't just effect al-Qaeda there are a lot of very decent law abiding muslims that will be offended about such cartoons. It's a fine line I know, I am not saying such cartoons should be banned but to print something to offend a sect of one group at the cost of the entire group seems wrong to me. Printing such tripe will put a wedge between "us and them" and plays into exactly what al-Qaeda wants.

So should we ban anything that makes fun of or questions someones religious beliefs?

That is the opposite end of the scale of extremism to banning religion itself - and just as harmful.

Just as people have the right to believe in whatever religion they choose, others have the right to question it - in a humorous way if they so desire.

Christianity is always being made fun of and yet, to my knowledge, the Pope has not put out any contracts as of yet.

[kfrost06]

So should we ban anything that makes fun of or questions someones religious beliefs?

That is the opposite end of the scale of extremism to banning religion itself - and just as harmful.

Just as people have the right to believe in whatever religion they choose, others have the right to question it - in a humorous way if they so desire.

Christianity is always being made fun of and yet, to my knowledge, the Pope has not put out any contracts as of yet.

You missed my point, I said clearly, "I am not saying such cartoons should be banned but to print something to offend a sect of one group at the cost of the entire group seems wrong to me." Having rights comes with responsibility, I am saying al-Qaeda does not represent all Muslims so printing something about all muslims to offend a small sect seems stupid and spiteful. Yes, they have the right to print it and to do so w/o fear of death but why? just because you can or to try to enflame ones deeply held beliefs. I know I would be offended if a newspaper printed inflammatory pics/cartoons of Jesus and would question the motives of such actions. That is what I am doing here, questioning the motives not their right to do so.

[Kärnfysikern]

Well offcourse the motives might have been questionable. But in this day and age everything except islam has already been mocked and humiliated by the media time and again. Christianity, jews, Hindusim, homosexuality, heterosexuality, midgets, big dicks, small dicks, dog ****ers, fat bastards, skinny bastards, atheists ect.

I dont think the reasonable muslim gets to offended by a stupid cartoon, if they do they just need to get over themself and realise that most people in the west dont give a shit about Muhammad and we care even less about them beeing grumpy.

And for the nutcases, rioting and burning flags must not change that and they can riot and burn flags until they get sic of it for all i care. Keep on upseting those stupid bastards until they have no more flags to burn.

The worst thing that can happen is if western media becomes afraid of mocking islam. They are not afraid of mocking anything else and Islam deserves to be mocked just as much as any other belife or lack of belife. If our media becomes afraid the nutcases will have won and il rather piss of a billion moderate muslims then allow a handfull of nutcases to win.

[Kärnfysikern]

BTW some euro muslim council recently issued a fatwha(sp?) saying deaththreats towards the dude who make the cartoon is haram. Thats progress!

[NotSmall]

You missed my point, I said clearly, "I am not saying such cartoons should be banned but to print something to offend a sect of one group at the cost of the entire group seems wrong to me." Having rights comes with responsibility, I am saying al-Qaeda does not represent all Muslims so printing something about all muslims to offend a small sect seems stupid and spiteful. Yes, they have the right to print it and to do so w/o fear of death but why? just because you can or to try to enflame ones deeply held beliefs. I know I would be offended if a newspaper printed inflammatory pics/cartoons of Jesus and would question the motives of such actions. That is what I am doing here, questioning the motives not their right to do so.

Well the bottom line is that given the huge diversity of beliefs and opinions around the globe, religious, political or otherwise, it is inevitable that freedom of speech will result in people being offended from time to time, it is unfortunate, but like you say, should not be punishable by death. (on this I think we agree!)
You say that your point is to question the paper's motives in publishing the cartoons and ask why the newspaper has done so but to me the reaction from Al Qaeda is the answer to that question.

[kfrost06]

I understand what both of you are saying and I don't necessarily disagree. I see it as a redefining of taboo. Even though it's legal there are certain things the press does not say. For example, in the US a radio show host called a female basketball team a bunch of nappy headed hoes and he had to public apologize, the station public apologized and he was still fired and sued. Now I see an inconsistency here. Some things are not allowed to be poked fun at and others are? Where is the list of what is not o.k.? It used to include religion but now it doesn't. I think the press should question religion but also show at least the same respect they do to other groups. You may not understand or agree but somethings in religion are viewed as sacred and there is no need to disrespect them simply for the sake of selling more papers or even worse to intentionally offend the group. That of course is just my view on the matter and I also know that it will continue and I will do my best not to get offended when it happens to me or my group.

[kfrost06]

I think this is realitive to this discusion...

Palestinian Authority celebrates 9-11 terror attacks

[***xxx***]

I am a firm believer in the freedom of the press but one should be respectful to others religions. Printing something simply to offend an entire culture is questionable.

yeah right...

[RA]

Well offcourse the motives might have been questionable. But in this day and age everything except islam has already been mocked and humiliated by the media time and again. Christianity, jews, Hindusim, homosexuality, heterosexuality, midgets, big dicks, small dicks, dog ****ers, fat bastards, skinny bastards, atheists ect.

I dont think the reasonable muslim gets to offended by a stupid cartoon, if they do they just need to get over themself and realise that most people in the west dont give a shit about Muhammad and we care even less about them beeing grumpy.

And for the nutcases, rioting and burning flags must not change that and they can riot and burn flags until they get sic of it for all i care. Keep on upseting those stupid bastards until they have no more flags to burn.

The worst thing that can happen is if western media becomes afraid of mocking islam. They are not afraid of mocking anything else and Islam deserves to be mocked just as much as any other belife or lack of belife. If our media becomes afraid the nutcases will have won and il rather piss of a billion moderate muslims then allow a handfull of nutcases to win.