Posted on 01/30/2006 10:52:57 AM PST by Proud_USA_Republican
BEIRUT, Lebanon – The controversy over Danish caricatures of Prophet Muhammad escalated today as gunmen seized an EU office in Gaza and Muslims appealed for a trade boycott of Danish products. Denmark called for its citizens in the Middle East to exercise vigilance.
Denmark-based Arla Foods, which has been the target of a widespread boycott in the Middle East, reported that two of its employees in Saudi Arabia were beaten by angry customers. Aid groups, meanwhile, pulled workers out of Gaza, citing the threat of hostilities.
The 12 drawings — published in a Danish paper in September and in a Norwegian paper this month — included an image of the prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse. Islamic tradition bars any depiction of the prophet, even respectful ones, out of concern that such images could lead to idolatry.
Danish government officials have expressed regret over the furor but have refused to get involved, citing freedom of expression. The Jyllands-Posten newspaper has refused to apologize for publishing the drawings and has said it did not mean to insult Islam.
Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen briefed European Union colleagues about the matter today. He has repeatedly rejected calls to intervene.
But Arla Food's executive director urged the Danish government to take action.
"Freedom of expression is an internal Danish issue but this has a totally different dimension," Peder Tuborgh said. "This is about Denmark having offended millions of Muslims."
Villy Soevndal, leader of the small opposition Socialist People's Party, said Denmark "cannot be a country where the prime minister goes into hiding while Denmark loses export money, Danish citizens are being threatened and Danish flags burned."
In Gaza, masked gunmen briefly took over an office used by the EU, demanding an apology from Denmark and Norway.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
"Saudi Arabia, which has recalled its ambassador to Denmark, was warned by the EU trade commissioner that the 25-nation bloc would take action with the World Trade Organization if the kingdom supported a Danish boycott, the European Commission said today.
Libya on Sunday said it was closing its embassy in Denmark.
Emirates' Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Mohammed Al Dhaheri said publishing the "blasphemous" cartoons was "disgusting and irresponsible," according to comments released today by the official WAM news agency.
"This is cultural terrorism, not freedom of expression. The repercussions of such irresponsible acts will have adverse impact on international relations."
The Egyptian parliament's Economic Committee refused to discuss a $72.5 million loan from Denmark to Egypt, with newspapers quoting lawmakers as saying they do not want to cooperate with a country that has insulted the prophet.
In Pakistan, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said the government is "engaged with the Danish government" over the cartoon publication.
She said Pakistan hopes the Danish government would "try to resolve this issue because you cannot hurt the sentiments of billions of Muslims in the name of freedom of press."
""This is cultural terrorism, not freedom of expression. The repercussions of such irresponsible acts will have adverse impact on international relations." "
TRANSLATION - when the animals kill some danish or other scandinavian citizens, it will be the danish newspaper's fault, not the murderers. Our animals are not capable of controlling themselves nor are they responsible for their actions.
So let's see the cartoons already. I must have seen twenty stories about how upset Muslims are, but no one will reprint the cartoons themselves.
I think we should commission Andres Serrano for another sculpture.
I would call it:
"Muhammed, piss be upon him."
Just to smoke out the peaceful and tolerant Islamofacists in American.
So now that we see what bothers them when can we start publishing?
The bombings in Spain and England, the killing of Theo Van Gogh, things like this.
Europe is starting to wake up to what the religion of peace is and wants to do to them. I hope Denmark tells this savages to go pound sand.
...some how it don't work
I think we should commission Andres Serrano for another sculpture. I would call it: "Muhammed, piss be upon him."
Serrano is too much a coward to risk offending the Muslims.
guess Blackjack didn't gathered a lot of chuckles either
you are right. the multinationals want stable open markets they dominate with consumers who consume and who do NOT rock the boat. Everything else is secondary. I can at least understand where the fortune 100 is coming from wrt China and the need to be in that market at any cost. When the arab countries are involved, i don't know enough about what % of danish exports are to muslim countries and what % of those exports are realistically at risk.
"Freedom of expression is an internal Danish issue but this has a totally different dimension," Peder Tuborgh said. "This is about Denmark having offended millions of Muslims."
I'm beginning to see international corporations as part of the problem in suppressing individual freedom. The Marxists want mob power over you. The corporations want your money. The Muslims want your soul. They all belong to the Devil.
Any libs speak up on this yet? I'd be very interested in what they were saying. I remember how mum they were during Toiletgate after the rocks started flying...
I will add though that I suspect that I suspect that even if it were 1/10th% of exports, corporate denmark would be whining.
Unless you one can read Norwegian probably won't do a lot of good to see them. They were in the Norwegian publication Magazinet.
opcourse they will, but lets be serious, when your doing business with insane islamists, you better be prepared for things like this to happen.
These days, anybody farts, and the entire middle east is in an uproar claiming it offends Islam.
The Danish government has no say in this matter. I truely hope they don't bend on this. IF they do, the islamofacists win.
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