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4 unusual facts about Opinions on the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy


Opinions on the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

A number of Muslim commentators, including Ehsan Ahrari of the Asia Times, have pointed at laws in Germany, France, Austria, and seven other countries in Europe which explicitly regard the denial of the Holocaust as a crime, free speech considerations notwithstanding.

According to one analyst, the controversy over the cartoons has resulted in bridging some of the divides that both sides of the "West vs Jihadist" conflict have historically exploited: The rift between the United States and Europe on one side, and the rift between Sunnis and Shiites on the other side.

Tariq Ramadan, a member of Tony Blair's committee to combat Islamic extremism, claims to see an "unholy alliance" between the anti-immigrant right wing in Europe and the dictatorial regimes in the Middle East.

In Denmark, ENAR is represented by Bashy Quraishy, who is a former member of Socialistisk Folkeparti and is known for his apologetic attitude with regards to the 9/11 attacks and for referring to the focus on Islamic fundamentalism during the following investigations as "crusades".


2005 in the European Union

30 May: Jyllands-Posten publishes a series of cartoons which were found insulting by Muslim groups triggering protests and attacks against Europe such as the storming of a Commission office.

Campus Antiwar Network

In February 2006, CAN issued a statement on the Danish cartoons controversy, condemning "racism in any form, as recently displayed in the publication of a series of anti-Islamic cartoons," which it argued "are helping to promulgate state violence against Muslims and Arabs -- including the occupation of Iraq."

International reactions to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

On February 14, Italy's Reform Minister Roberto Calderoli had T-shirts made emblazoned with cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a move likely to embarrass Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) issued a statement that said "the inciting of hatred against a faith of a people is very unfortunate," and that "they are fortunate and deeply appreciative that in Singapore, the media and the community at large have always been mindful of sensitivities… and have helped to promote racial and religious harmony across society."

Police opened investigations into the publication of the cartoons by Suomen Sisu.

Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemned the cartoons but also commented about militants who discredit Islam by their acts.

The publication of satirical cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on September 30, 2005 led to violence, arrests, inter-governmental tensions, and debate about the scope of free speech and the place of Muslims in the West.

Western Standard

On February 13, 2006 the Western Standard attracted controversy when it became the first widely published English Canadian media outlet to republish the cartoons of Muhammad first published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.


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