IAP warns of Arab, Islamic countries' angry reactions over Prophet cartoons

Denmark's economic losses exceed $3 billions

Islamic-Christian communiqué condemns anti-Muslim film

Vatican says Bin Laden's accusations against Pope 'baseless'

The Interim Arab Parliament (IPA) called on the international community to enact laws on respecting all religions and believes, urging Denmark and other western countries to take real actions to stop the publication of cartoons insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, warning at the same time against Islamic countries' possible reactions from such provocative acts.

The Speaker of the IPA, Mohammed Jasem al-Saqr, condemned in a statement released from the IPA's headquarters in Cairo these cartoons, asserting that these publications are far from civilizations and freedom of expression.

As regards the caricatures offensive to the Prophet, he explained that the authors and instigators of these cartoons are ignorant about the noble values and principles of the Islamic religion.

Moroccan Ulema (scholars) reiterated condemnation and denunciation of the aggressive campaign led in Europe against the "sacred values of Muslims and against the symbols of their religion."

Voicing "profound discontent" at the recent publication of the smear cartoons of prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in a number of European newspapers, the religious scholars described the move as a "prejudicial provocation to the sentiments of over a billion Muslims, and to their religious conscience."

It's a "so rude imprudence," they said in a press release, making it clear, that the use of freedom in a way that disparages the beliefs of others is nothing but a "flagrant affront against dignity."

They stressed, however, that the behavior of these papers does not reflect the opinion of the nation they belong to.

The Ulema called on wise decision-makers to act “urgently and in a firm manner” to put an end to these activities.

The scholars had last year issued a similar communiqué condemning the publication of these cartoons in several European papers.

Jordanian written and electronic media decided to take a united stand to respond to Danish papers which most recently republished cartoons demeaning to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). The largest number of Jordanian papers and websites will appear with one headline carrying the motto "Messenger of Allah Unites Us" as part of a large scale media campaign in response to seventeen Danish papers which republished the offending cartoons. The campaign aims to stress the fact that what the Danish papers have done has nothing to do with freedom of opinion. Rather, it is a deliberately planned flagrant violation designed to offend Islam and the honorable Prophet (pbuh).

The papers, participating in the campaign, urged other dailies, weeklies, columnists and all Jordanian media organizations to join the campaign on this historical day which comes as an emphasis on Jordan and its Hashemite leadership' instrumental role in defending Islam and Muslims. The campaign serves as an appeal to all Arab and Islamic media outlets to adopt a one united position to protect Islam and Muslims.

Muslim scholars, Christian, intellectuals, judicial figures and media leaders unanimously affirmed that the recent republishing of the cartoons demeaning Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) by certain Danish newspapers does not only offend Islamic values and the dignity of all Muslims but also transgressed all norms of respecting religious values and symbols.

Thus, it is an insult to followers of all heavenly religions and represents a dangerous provocation and stimulates evil actions and fanaticism. It also nurtures extremism and growing militant ideologies, they said in a final statement issued at the conclusion of a national forum organized in support of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) at the Royal Cultural Center and called for by Chief Justice and Imam the Royal Hashemite Family Dr. Ahmed Helayel. Republication of the insulting cartoons mirrors the growing racist, poisoned and fanatic thinking in some western communities. Such ideology is adopted by a group seeking to fuel conflict between religions and civilizations, said the statement.

Muslim scholars, Christian, intellectuals condemn…1st LD Here is the full Statement of the Jordanian National Forum for the Support of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be upon Him) and our Brethren in Palestine: Muslims and people of reason around the World have been stunned by reprints of the cartoons defaming the Venerable Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in a number of Danish newspapers lately.

To make things worse, this came in the wake of other media initiatives offending and insulting Islam, its values and image, as well as the dignity of Muslims, if not all the followers of Divine Faiths, a case which constitute as such a grave provocation, an impetus to evil and a catalyst for promoting the extremist and bigoted calls which gain extra turf in the context of hovering circumstances of religious and cultural impasse..! Based on our particular position in Jordan as the House of the Hashemites under the leadership of HM King Abdullah II, the Offspring of The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and owing to the religious and historical legitimacy that HM represents, we all stand as one in Jordan behind HM in his rejection and denunciation of the offenses against our Dignified Messenger, Islam and the Holy Qura'n. What is really strange and raises many queries is the publication of such offensive cartoons and defaming works under the pretext of freedom of the press and art. Is it really freedom of the press when the feelings of millions of Muslims are ridiculed and their faith and beliefs rendered subject to sarcasm? Does freedom of the press become key for a bunch of militants and extremists to sow the seeds of rage and provocation and put the social and cultural security of many societies at stake , thus poisoning relationships between Faiths ,societies and human beings ,instead of promoting friendship ,dialogue and rapprochement, as enjoined by Allah (SWT),Who says ;” We have created you out of a male and a female and made you peoples and tribes ,so that you come to know each other. Truly, the most winning of God's Grace among you are the pious”. If "freedom of the press" in all respected laws and legislations is faulted when defaming individuals, is it allowed to offend entire peoples, societies and faiths? Can one dissociate freedom of the press from moral and ethical responsibility, which stands as a safety valve and guarantee that protects such freedom from being abused and violated in its own name? The reprinting of those offensive cartoons reflects the rise of a bigoted racial and poisonous brand of thought in some western societies ,whose advocates persevere in promoting clash of religions and civilizations and deepening such extremist spirit in different societies, in a way that serves the agenda , predispositions and interests of such group, but runs counter to the public interests of their societies as it deals a tough blow to normal relations of dialogue and understanding between societies and nations.

Based on the aforementioned, we call on people of reason ,voices of moderation and enlightened intellectuals in those societies in particular and in Western societies in general, to speak out and use their influence and role in shouldering their cultural and moral responsibility to face and deter this extremist group on the one hand and ,on the other, educate their peoples on the real pure spirit of Islam, its principles and ethics, which center upon compassion , humanitarian fraternity and uplifting the principle of peace between nations, peoples and societies ,as enjoined by the Holy Qura’n and the Noble Biography of the Prophet ( PBUH).

Reprinting of the insulting cartoons reminds once again of the importance of the Message of Amman, which was issued few years ago under the patronage of HM King Abdullah II, and got translated into many international languages. The Message underscores the moderation and centrist approach, which represents the spirit of Islam and the importance of openness and dialogue among nations and peoples and discards extremism and religious bigotry in any form and from any source, whilst calling for tolerance and peaceful coexistence as well as rapprochement with the other and respect for his basic creeds. We appeal here to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Arab League, the Islamic World League (IWL), parliaments and Arab and Islamic Governments to pursue the issuance of decisions from International and Regional bodies, preventing the press and political concerns from defaming religions. This emanates from our genuine care for the upkeep of peace, security and international stability, a care which is centered on open dialogue and respect for cultural, racial and religious pluralities! We also call for the launch of a real cultural dialogue, away from protocols and formalities, which enables the cultural elite to reach out to the public opinion in as many states and societies as possible, through dialogues that raise public awareness on the moral message and human values, which form the major object of all Divine religions. It is really so saddening and painful to see that defaming the dignified stature of the Prophet(PBUH) in some European countries coincides with flagrant Israeli aggressions against our brethren in Gaza, where horrid atrocities and genocides are being committed indiscriminately against children, women aged people, besides the destruction of houses on the heads of sleeping citizens..! In this context, we all firmly stand behind HM in denunciation of Israel’s aggression and its continued provocation not only to every Arab and Muslim but to all humanity at large.

Under the pressure of rage and frustration, such aggressions create an ideal environment for fueling a wave of extremism across Arab and Muslim countries! This exactly was the warning released by HM King Abdullah II in his address at Princeton University in the USA on Friday 29 February, 2008, where he stated that “discord, conflict and hate are sweeping away understanding and reconciliation and are increasingly becoming weapons in the hands of the enemies of humanity.” We further call for saving the Palestinian People from the Israeli barbaric aggressive machine, which showers death on them day and night, a case which makes bread earning immaterial, compared to the death, destruction and awe that befall them day by day. We, who are gathering today in the Royal Cultural Center in Amman at the behest of HE Chief Justice of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Dr. Ahmad Hulayyil, affirm the right of all believers in all Faiths to denounce and repudiate such heinous caricatures and similar offending works. At the same time, we also underscore the necessity of commitment to the civilized values and well-known Islamic ethics whilst facing up to whoever stands behind such cartoons, in a way that does not allow our reactions to play into the hands of those who seek to defame Islam within Western societies.

The Supreme Islamic Council in Tunis released a communiqué in which it notably denounces the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohamed (the divine prayers and salutes be bestowed on him), which feed rancor and which are acts of provocation to religions and beliefs.

The council considers that the best means lies in the establishment of understanding among peoples through the consolidation of dialogue, tolerance and respect due to the religious beliefs of all by avoiding attacks on the sacred symbols and conduct that sows resentment and bitterness. It also urges to do everything possible to spread the values of tolerance, solidarity and respect of specificities, notably in matters of religious sentiments.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen distanced himself from remarks made by an anti-Muslim populist Dutch film-maker, saying he condemned attempts to demonize religious or ethnic groups.

Geert Wilders, who is also a right-wing lawmaker, praised Rasmussen in a Danish television interview for backing freedom of speech after local newspapers reprinted satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, and criticized Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende for bowing in the face of Muslim anger.

"I strongly condemn Geert Wilders' condescending statements about Muslims," Rasmussen said in a statement. "I find these expressions extremely offensive," he added.

Wilders plans this month to show a 15-minute video which criticizes the Muslim holy book, the Koran, despite appeals from the Dutch government and mounting unrest in the Muslim world.

In the interview with Denmark's DR TV, Wilders said he wanted to "combat the threat of the growing Islamisation of Western society."

Rasmussen, who angered Muslims by refusing to take action against Danish media that published the cartoons, said he wished to disassociate himself completely from Wilders' views and rejected the Dutch lawmakers' "attempt at associating his views to those of the Danish Government."

Protests have been held in several Muslim countries over the last four weeks after Danish newspapers published the cartoon -- one of 12 that prompted deadly riots in many Muslim countries in 2006 -- in solidarity with the artist following the arrest of three men on suspicion of planning to kill him.

Wilders said the cartoonist Kurt Westergaard had received better support in the face of Muslim wrath from Rasmussen than he himself had seen from the Dutch prime minister.

"I wish we had such a prime minister in Holland," Wilders said. "Unfortunately we have a coward that does not hold firm on the constitution's words about freedom of expression," he added. Long contentious at home for his anti-Islam populism, Wilders has triggered fury among Muslims thousands of kilometers away with his remarks about his film plans.

"Of course not all Muslims are terrorists, but they have a culture and ideology that harms democracy and which is not compatible with democracy," Wilders was quoted as saying on DR's Web site.

Rasmussen said Wilders' remarks about Muslims were "so insulting" that he wished to hear no group in Danish society referred to in such a manner.

Secrecy about the content and release date of a film about the Koran by a Dutch right-wing politician is making the job of the security services more difficult, the justice minister said.

Ernst Hirsch Ballin told parliament it would be easier to prepare and assess possible risks if the government knew when populist Geert Wilders planned to release his film and what was in it, Dutch news agency ANP reported.

Wilders, who says the Koran is a fascist book that incites violence, has given few details about his 15-minute film, saying only that he plans to release it on the Internet before the end of the month after Dutch broadcasters declined to show it.

Long the target of death threats from Islamic militants, Wilders rejected a plea from Dutch counter-terrorism officials to see the film so they can prepare, saying he would only do so if they would promise not to try to ban it.

The Dutch government has said it fears the same kind of backlash against the Netherlands in the Muslim world as that seen against Denmark after Danish newspapers published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in 2006.

The Netherlands raised its national risk level to "substantial" earlier this month ahead of the film's release.

The country also fears the same kind of unrest it saw after the 2004 murder of director Theo van Gogh, who made a film critical of Islam's treatment of women.

NATO has also expressed concern the film could make things worse for the 43,000-strong NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, where Dutch and Danish troops are serving.

For its part, the Dutch government expressed concern over the boycott announced in Oman against its products along with the Danish products in a protest against the film.

The UAE has denounced the republishing of the blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in Danish newspapers.

Summoning non-resident Danish Ambassador to the UAE Hans Klingenbeg to his office, Dr. Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, delivered a protest memo remonstrating the stance of the Danish government on reprinting the outrageous cartoons. "The UAE has been keen in bolstering and maintaining its relations with countries around the world, including Denmark, because the UAE respects religious freedom and tolerance among people all over the world," the memo said.

"It condemns the unwise stand of the Danish government in not preventing the reprinting of the cartoons, defaming Islam and the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)," the memo said.

Dr Gargash reiterated the UAE's clear stance in differentiating freedom of press and ridiculing of Islam. "This will definitely cast a shadow on bilateral relations between the two countries," he said.

Dr Gargash said the Danish government could do more to stop the attack on Islam which was apparently evident in the blasphemous cartoons.

The UAE would remain vocal and tolerant, and establish relations with foreign countries, "but would not tolerate attacks on our Islamic heritage", he said.

He reiterated that the UAE refuses to accept the use of press freedom as a cover for defaming "our religion and Prophet".

Private and public television stations have refused to air the anti-Muslim film "Fitna" by Dutch politician Geert Wilders, fearing a violent backlash that prompted the government to raise its terror threat level.

"I had hoped that a television broadcaster would say: 'You have the right to do this, we will give you a podium'," he told Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad.

A Justice Ministry statement said, "While there are no concrete indications of impending attacks in the Netherlands, the increased international terrorism threat has prompted [us] to raise the threat level for the Netherlands."

Mr. Wilders, who leads a small anti-immigration party, claims in his 15-minute film that the Koran is a fascist book and the basis of modern-day terrorism.

Around 1,000 Danish Muslims demonstrated peacefully in Copenhagen on Friday against the reprinting of a satirical cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad in Danish newspapers last month.

The cartoons were first published by the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten in September 2005, but the row erupted after other papers reprinted them in 2006. At least 50 people were killed in the protests.

The publication of the Danish cartoons in papers across Europe led to riots and attacks on Western embassies in the Middle East, boycotts of Danish goods, and more than 100 deaths. The Danish government defended the publication as a matter of freedom of speech, but was criticized for failing to meet with Islamic ambassadors and representatives as the controversy swelled.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende in a statement last month condemned the threats made against Mr. Wilders, but added the government "fundamentally disagrees" with the arguments in the film. "Freedom does not absolve anyone from responsibility," Mr. Balkenende said.

"Already we are having to take account of serious threats to Dutch people and Dutch interests in a number of countries."

The Dutch Foreign Ministry earlier this month invited ambassadors from the states of the Organization of Islamic Countries to a briefing in advance of the release of the film. A delegation of Dutch Catholic, Protestant and Muslim religious leaders this week announced plans to travel to Muslim countries in a bid to soften the impact of the film.

The film has even caused unease in Afghanistan, where Dutch soldiers are part of the NATO force fighting the Taliban and al Qaeda.

"It's a problem of extremists. They want to use this to their advantage where it's rational or not," U.S. Gen. John Craddock, NATO's supreme commander for operations, said this week in Kabul.

Mr. Wilders, for his part shows no sign of backing down, even as Islamist Web sites have called for his beheading.

The Dutch government "is falling onto its knees before Islam and capitulating," he told the German magazine Der Spiegel. Mr. Balkenende is "an anxious man who has chosen the side of the Taliban," he said.

Meanwhile, Egypt asserted that it spared no effort in confronting the cartoons crisis when they were published for the first time in 2005.

Speaking before Egypt's Shoura Council on Sunday on behalf of Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Ambassador Naela Jabr said in a statement "the Foreign Ministry had summoned the Danish ambassador in Cairo twice to express the Egyptian rejection over the publication of these cartoons."

The Vatican says Osama bin Laden's contention that Pope Benedict is involved in a "new crusade" against Islam is "baseless."

Aljazeera television aired the audiotape attributed to bin Laden, which also calls for holy war on behalf of the Palestinians. The five-minute message, bin Laden's first this year, came as the Muslim world marks Muhammad's birthday, as Christians observe Holy Week and as Jews celebrate Purim.

Benedict led a Holy Thursday ceremony in Rome's St. John in Lateran Basilica, but there was no noticeable step-up in already heavy Vatican security. The pope also is to lead a Good Friday procession at Rome's Coliseum and celebrate Easter Masses in St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square.

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden attacked the European Union over the publication of cartoons insulting to the Prophet Muhammad in a new audio message, a U.S. group that monitors extremist Web sites said. The video, featuring an audio track of bin Laden, was released by al-Qaeda's media production unit, as-Sahab, the SITE Intelligence Group said in a statement.

Bin Laden addresses the "intelligent ones'' of the EU and states the act of publishing the cartoons is a greater crime than Western forces targeting Muslim villages and killing women and children, according to SITE. The "reckoning for it will be more severe,'' he said.

Denmark's three biggest newspapers, and about a dozen regional ones, on Feb. 13 reprinted an image of Muhammad by cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, whom police say was the target of a terrorist-related murder plot.

Westergaard's caricature of Muhammad wearing a bomb in his turban was among 12 printed in 2005 by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper that prompted protests in Muslim communities worldwide and consumer boycotts of Danish products.

In the message, bin Laden described the cartoons as taking place in the framework of a "new Crusade" against Islam, in which he said the pope has played a "large and lengthy role."

"You went overboard in your unbelief and freed yourselves of the etiquettes of dispute and fighting and went to the extent of publishing these insulting drawings," he said, according to a transcript released by the SITE Institute, another U.S. group that monitors terror messages.

"This is the greater and more serious tragedy, and reckoning for it will be more severe."

Bin Laden dismissed as "excuses" Europe's citing of freedom of expression to justify the publishing of the cartoons.

"If there is no check in the freedom of your words, then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions,'' bin Laden said in the five-minute-long tape, according to SITE, which stands for Search for International Terrorist Entities.

"The response to the insulting cartoons will be what the enemy sees, not what they hear," he added. The video included English subtitles and showed an image of bin Laden holding a gun.

There have been no confirmed sightings of bin Laden since he escaped U.S.-led forces in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan in December 2001. The U.S. Senate in July approved doubling to $50 million the reward for information leading to his capture.