http://www.adnkrono s.com/AKI/ English/Security /?id=1.0. 1888754574

Saudi Arabia: New boycott against Danish goods after cartoon row

Riyadh, 18 Feb.(AKI) – A new campaign has begun in Saudi Arabia calling for
a boycott of Danish products, after the fresh publication of 12
controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed, reported the Arab
daily al-Watan.

“We will carry out a new boycott,” said the president of Arab entrepreneurs,
Mohammed Abidat.

“It is imperative for Arab and Muslim tradespeople and shopkeepers to
boycott Danish products,” he said.

On 12 February 2008, Danish police arrested five people in connection with a
planned attack to kill the cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who drew the
original images of the prophet Mohammed in September 2005.

Westergaard’ s cartoon depicting the prophet wearing a bomb turban with a lit
fuse attracted particular attention and led to worldwide protests by Muslims
at the time and a boycott of Danish goods.

The Muslim World League, a leading non-government organisation in the Muslim
world, has condemned the renewed publication of the cartoons.

“It is important to take every intiative to ensure that the Prophet is not
offended again.”

The Muslim World League has also invited Muslims and Danish Islamic centres
to take action, but without the use of violence, only dialogue.

The cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed first appeared in Danish daily
Jyllands-Posten.

Later, the cartoons were re-published by scores of papers around the world,
provoking the outrage of Muslims and calls for a boycott of Danish products.

When the Danish government refused to apologise saying the paper had the
right to print it, the issue turned explosive in the Muslim world and many
people died in violent protests.

Last week Westergaard said he and his family had suffered because of the
virulent response and death threats he had received.

“It has made me angry that a perfectly normal everyday activity which I used
to do by the thousand was abused to set off such madness,” he said on the
newspaper website.

Westergaard said he still went to work and did not know for how long he
would live under police protection.

“I think, however, that the impact of the insane response to my cartoon will
last for the rest of my life.”

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