Pakistan

Attack on Swedish cartoonist's house

Afp May 15, 2010

STOCKHOLM: The house of Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who drew a controversial caricature of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), was targeted in an arson attack overnight, police said Saturday.

"The damage is rather minor, part of the front is blackened and some windows were broken," Scanie district police spokeswoman Sofie Oesterheim told AFP. "The fire went out by itself."

Police found glass bottles containing petrol inside the house which was empty at the time of the attack, which came days after Vilks was beaten while giving a lecture at Uppsala University.

Vilks told AFP he did not want to overreact to the attack but would take some precautions.

"I'll have to have a hideaway for some time, which I think is reasonable... I can probably go in the house during daytime, but I'll have to sleep somewhere else.

"We have to see if it's possible to install an alarm or something.... I shouldn't be paranoid. This could be a one-time occasion," he added.

In 2007, Swedish regional daily Nerikes Allehanda published Vilks' satirical cartoon to illustrate an editorial on the importance of freedom of expression.

The cartoon prompted protests by Muslims in the town of Oerebro, west of Stockholm, where the newspaper is based, while Egypt, Iran and Pakistan made formal complaints.

An Al-Qaeda front organisation then offered $100,000 to anyone who murdered Vilks, with an extra $50,000 if his throat was slit, and $50,000 for the death of Nerikes Allehanda editor-in-chief Ulf Johansson.

Four men and three women, all Muslims originally from Morocco and Yemen, were arrested in southern Ireland in March over an alleged plot to assassinate him.

COMMENTS (6)

Omar | 13 years ago | Reply It is true that such drawings are of an offensive nature and show ignorrance and lack of knowledge of certain individals with reference to Islam and its Prophet (Peace be Upon Him). But replying violently to such actions would only add more fuel to the (already spreading)proverbial fire which shows muslims as a violent, intolerant, uneducated and a dangerous lot. We should protest, but our protest must be more formal, in form of newpaper articles, online surveys, websites and also via other printed and electronic media forms. We have a huge frame of authentic reference by muslims as well as non muslim scholars which has shown time and again that the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) was a very forward looking and a tolerant person, who brought enlightment to the whole world by spreading God’s message. Also the fact that he was a very tolerant person, who even forgave people who had done a great deal of harm to him, is something that should be kept in mind. We as Muslims have a wonderful religion which was spread by a very dynamic and a forward looking Prophet (Peace be Upon Him). Our main task here should be to engange in meaningful dialogue and only by doing such can we make the people see what the real facts are.

Omar | 13 years ago | Reply It is true that such drawings are of an offensive nature and show ignorrance and lack of knowledge of certain individals with reference to Islam and its Prophet (Peace be Upon Him). But replying violently to such actions would only add more fuel to the (already spreading)proverbial fire which shows muslims as a violent, intolerant, uneducated and a dangerous lot. We should protest, but our protest must be more formal, in form of newpaper artciles, online surveys, websites and also via other printed and electronic media forms. We have a huge frame of authentic reference by muslims as well as non muslim scholars which has shown time and again that the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) was a very forward looking and a tolerant person, who brought enlightment to the whole world by spearding God's message. Also the fact that that he was a very tolerant person, who even forgave people who had done a great deal of harm to him, is something that should be kept in mind. We as Muslims have a wonderful religion which was spread by a very dynamic and a forward looking Prophet (Peace be Upon Him). Our main task here should be to engange in meaningful dialogue and only by doing such can we make the people see what the real facts are.

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Prophet Lover | 13 years ago | Reply How unfortunate it is that people like Anam pass comments like these without fearing the wrath of Allah (swt). Don't you know what is the instruction from Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) about those who do blasphemy? Don't view things from the lenses which West has put on your eyes and has made you blind. Wish we had an Khilafah State! I swear they would'nt even dare to think about blasphemy of Prophet Muhammad (saw), forget doing it!

SH | 13 years ago | Reply Anam, you call it pathetic ? Your opinion is merely based on only what you think is right with no cultural, religious or social basis at all. Blasphemous cartoons, impious literature and utterance, is strictly prohibited in Islam, not only against Prophet Mohammed (SAW) but for all the messengers of Allah. According to Hadeeth and Suna'h, the act is punishable and can not be modified, no matter where you live, what age you live in and what you think. Poverty, hunger, immorality and other social evils have existed since the beginning of times and will remain in the society till its end, subjecting a Prophet's honor to their solution is absolutely irrational and impractical. Prophet's love and honor is what lays the very foundation of our religion. You mentioned him not hurting a fly but you never looked into the history to find out that he himself send his companions after the blasphemers. If it had not been like this every tom, dick and harry would stand up and spread litter against him in the name of so called "Freedom of Speech", the concept of which is biased itself and as SD said would never allow you to speak about Holocaust. SD : You don't have to feel bad or upset for the actions of other Muslims. They did (if they did it at all) only after when the law failed to protect their rights as a community and losing faith in the judicial system. Why the hell on earth, a person would draw blasphemous caricatures of our Holy Prophet (saw), inspite of knowing the sensitivity of the matter and the reaction witnessed against Denmark in the whole Muslim world. Its crystal clear, the act was just to spread hate, anarchy and hurt the feelings of Muslims. And face book ? play your part, study it, post your opinion and turn the tables over. Its our duty to protect his honor in whatever possible.

SD | 13 years ago | Reply Anam, I agree with you hands down. Infact, the attack on this guy in a Swedish university prompted an event called "Lets draw Muhammad today" and is a facebook hit! I was very upset at the actions of my fellow Muslims who are giving these people more reason hurt the feelings of Muslims. However, in these very countries which speak about "freedom of speech" if I deny the Holocaust, I can go to prison. So, I guess till that hypocrisy remains in their system they will keep getting such a backlash from their Muslim citizens.

Anam | 13 years ago | Reply This is pathetic. I find it ridiculous that these passionate, God-fearing Muslims really have nothing better to worry about than a stupid cartoon. What with all the poverty, hunger, strife & suffering out there, I'm pretty sure there isn't a dearth of other causes they can channel their energies into, instead of foaming at the mouth over a miserable drawing. The Prophet, who allegedly wouldn't hurt a fly, would be proud of them. NOT.

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