Muslim rage at press blasphemy

GAZA - Crowds chanted "death to Denmark", Palestinian gunmen kidnapped a German citizen and Iran's leader called for a "firm reaction" as anger spread through the Islamic world yesterday over the re-printing of blasphemous cartoons.

As the European press asserted its right to publish hostile cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, Fatah gunmen converged on EU offices and issued threats against Danish, Norwegian, French and German nationals.

In Pakistan, hundreds of Muslim students called for "death to Denmark" and "death to France" in demonstrations.

In the West Bank city of Nablus, a German citizen was seized by Fatah militants after they roamed hotels looking for Europeans.

Newspapers in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain reprinted cartoons published in Denmark depicting Muhammad talking to suicide bombers and wearing a bomb as a turban.

Yesterday's incidents prompted the EU to review its security in the Palestinian territories, as militants warned that staff from offending countries had until tomorrow to leave if there were no forthcoming apologies. Germany refused to apologise for the reprints.

"Any citizen of these countries who are present in Gaza will put themselves in danger," a Fatah-linked gunman said at an EU office yesterday.

The militants, from the Islamic Jihad group and an armed Fatah faction fired in the air and climbed the compound's walls.

In the Gaza Strip, about two dozen Fatah gunmen gathered outside the French Cultural Centre to daub graffiti on its walls. One wrote "such an insult must not be repeated" as others fired bullets into the air.

Outgoing Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie warned militants against threatening the Europeans.

"We hope the governments are aware of the sensitivity and the sanctity of this subject," he said, before warning that the Palestinian Authority could not "accept any group that takes the law into its own hands".

Hamas' Gaza leader Mahmoud Zahar visited a group of Christian nuns and clerics yesterday at the Holy Family School to reassure them after they had also received threats.

"We are not accepting any aggression against foreign institutions - whether EU or other - or against any other group, foreign or Palestinian," Zahar said, adding he wanted protest through "legal means".

He told the Christian group "you are our brothers who live side by side with us along with the foreigners who come to serve this community".

He said Hamas' armed wing would offer protection for the Christians.

Presidents Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran criticised the cartoons.

"Muslims should display firm reaction to such disgraceful acts," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah.

Mubarak said freedom of the press, cited by the European media, should not excuse religious insults.

Meanwhile, utter confusion surrounded the decision of the French tabloid France Soir to publish all 12 Danish cartoons.

The newspaper's proprietor, Raymond Lakah, a Franco-Egyptian businessman, fired France Soir's editor, Jacques Lefranc, for printing the cartoons and issued a public apology.

However, his newspaper devoted four pages of yesterday's edition to congratulating itself on its own defence of democracy, and "secularity" against "religious intolerance and censorship". 


World reaction

Gaza and West Bank
* German citizen kidnapped by Fatah gunmen and later released.
* Fatah militants daub graffiti on French cultural centre.
* Gunmen at Gaza City EU office say French, Danes and Germans have until Sunday to leave their countries unless they apologise.
* Christian school receives threats. Denmark and Norway close offices in Ramallah.

France
* Managing editor of France Soir fired by its Franco-Egyptian owner as an apology to Muslims.

Germany
* Govt refuses to apologise for papers reprinting the cartoons.

Jordan
* Shihan editor sacked after reprinting three cartoons to show the extent of the offence. 

Denmark
* PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen says on Arab TV Denmark had "no intention to harm Islam".

Tunisia / Morocco
* France Soir banned.

Iran
* Government urges EU to prevent the reprinting of cartoons. President calls for "firm reaction".

Libya
* Police stop 1000-strong crowd from attacking Danish Embassy. Embassy in Denmark closed.

Syria
* 300 stage protest outside Danish Embassy. Ambassador recalled from Denmark.

Saudi Arabia
* Government recalls ambassador from Copenhagen.

Pakistan
* Crowd of 300 shout "death to France", "death to Denmark".

Egypt
* President Mubarak says freedom of the press should not be an excuse for insulting religion.

- INDEPENDENT, REUTERS