Three Arrested In Denmark In Plot To Assassinate Danish Cartoons Cartoonist

Three men were arrested earlier today in order to stop their plans to assassinate the cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who drew the most notorious of the actual Danish Cartoons for Jyllands-Posten in the Fall of 2005: that of Muhammed with a bomb for a turban (pictured).

According to wire reports, the arrests were made in the city of Aarhus where Jyllands-Posten has its offices and the men broke down nationality-wise into two Tunisians and one Dane. It was revealed that concrete threats had been made against the 73-year-old Westergaard starting three months ago, causing he and his 66-year-old wife to seek official, focused protection.

In an interesting twist, By late Tuesday it had been announced that the three would not be held for charges. The Danish suspect would be charged under anti-terror laws and released; the two other men would be expelled from the country. The New York Times article speculated that this may have been because police acted before having enough evidence to justify holding and trying all three men.

The Prime Minister and Jyllands-Posten stressed that this incident be seen in terms of attacks on freedom of speech, while moderate Danish imams asked that it be seen as a stand-alone criminal incident and not reflective of the country's Muslim community. Things had been mostly quiet in Denmark in recent months regarding such issues, and the BBC describes the mood of the country upon having the story revived in such dramatic fashion as stunned.

In an official statement Westergaard termed the reaction to his cartoon, which he says was intended to show how some used the Prophet to justify terrorism was "insane," admitting that its implications would likely follow him to the end of his days.
 
posted 9:20 am PST | Permalink
 

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