Danish paper apologizes over Prophet cartoons
Danish newspaper that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad issues apology in wake of mounting Muslim outrage, calls to boycott Denmark
Denmark warned its citizens on Monday to avoid Saudi Arabia, and gunmen in Gaza said any Scandinavians there risked attack, as Muslim fury mounted over newspaper cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
Denmark's Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which published the cartoons, issued an apology late on Monday in a statement to Arab countries sent to the Jordanian news agency Petra.
The drawings, that seemed to portray the Prophet as a terrorist, were published in September, but the row erupted this month after diplomatic efforts to solve the issue failed. One drawing shows Mohammad wearing a turban shaped as a bomb.
Some Muslims, who deem images of prophets disrespectful and caricatures blasphemous, have threatened Danes and demanded an apology.
"The drawings are not against the Danish law but have indisputably insulted many Muslims, for which we shall apologize," the newspaper said in the statement.
Boycotting Denmark
As the diplomatic and economic impact has spread, Saudi Arabia has recalled its envoy from Denmark and its religious leaders called for a boycott of Danish products.
Across the Gulf, several supermarkets pulled Scandinavian foods off the shelves after consumers complained.
Sudan said it had told a Danish government minister he could not make a planned visit and said it had also called for a boycott of Danish goods.
Jamal Ibrahim, a Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said: "This is an insult to the Prophet Mohammad. Furthermore, we have asked our national companies to boycott all Danish goods."
Libya has closed its Copenhagen embassy, and thousands of Palestinians marched in protest on Monday.
Denmark's Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed the paper's apology but did not apologize himself.
"The Danish government cannot apologize on behalf of a Danish newspaper. It does not work like that ... and we have explained that to the Arab countries. Independent media are not edited by the government," Rasmussen said.
The Danish Foreign Ministry advised against non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia and urged Danes to be cautious in other Muslim countries.
"Danes who choose to stay in Saudi Arabia should show extraordinarily high watchfulness," it added on its Web site.
The Danish Red Cross said it had pulled two employees out of Gaza and one from Yemen, and Norway's Foreign Ministry said two Norwegian aid workers in Gaza were planning to leave on Monday.
