Denmark To Ban Religious Slander
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United Press International
Published February 20, 2006

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Danish Ambassador in Saudi Arabia Hanz Kingburgh said his country will take legal measures to ban offending religions in line with Danish and European laws.

A statement by the Jeddah-based Muslim World League said the Danish envoy discussed with the organization's Secretary General Abdullah al-Turki the fallout of the publication by a Danish newspaper of the offending cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed as a terrorist with a bomb in his turban.

It said Kingburgh informed al-Turki that "legal measures will be taken in that regard in accordance with the laws of Denmark and the European Union."

"The Danish ambassador asserted that the newspaper has acknowledged the danger of what it committed and subsequently apologized to the Muslim Nation in one of its issues as well as in lot of Arab and Muslim publications," the statement said.

It said al-Turki strongly denounced the cartoons which he said were aimed at fuelling feelings of enmity among peoples and inciting strife and conflict between different civilizations and cultures.

Describing the Danish newspaper's apology as "a positive move,"
al-Turki urged at the same time practical measures to deal with the dangerous consequences of slandering Islam and called on the Danish government to assume its responsibilities in that regard.

The cartoons, which were later republished by Norwegian and French newspapers, triggered uproar in the Muslim world which was swept by demonstrations in protest against the offense and in at least two incidents Danish embassies were burned.

In many Arab and Muslim countries calls were made to boycott Danish products and sever relations with Copenhagen.