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Kurt Westergaard Mohammed Cartoon, Shooter Linked to Al-Qaeda

by Amy Judd | January 2, 2010 at 09:54 am

921 views | 38 Recommendations | 12 comments

Kurt Westergaard, the author behind the controversial Mohammed Cartoons, was attacked yesterday at his home by a Somali man who was wounded by police, but the attacker has been identified to have links to Al-Qaeda.

The 23-year-old man broke in with a knife and an axe and he has now been charged with two counts of attempted murder. Jakob Scharf, the head of Denmark's PET intelligence agency confirmed that the incident was 'terror related'.

"The arrested man has, according to PET's information, close relations to the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab and al-Qaeda leaders in eastern Africa," Mr Scharf said.

"The attack again confirms the terror threat that is directed at Denmark and against the cartoonist Kurt Westergaard in particular."

This is not the first time that Kurt Westergaard has been the victim of a death threat since the 2005 publication of his cartoons featuring Mohammed wearing a turban shaped like a bomb.

Kurt Westergaard said that when the man broke in to his house he ran to a safe room and could hear the man shouting 'revenge' and 'blood'.

I got into the safe room and raised the alarm to the police while he energetically tried to bash down the door with a hammer or something," Mr Westergaard said.

Westergaard's five-year-old granddaughter was sitting in the living room at the time, but he didn't take her to the panic room.

"I knew he wouldn't hurt her and I wouldn't have been able to do anything if I had tried," he added. "It was terrifying. The most important thing is that I remembered to think and go for safety. But it was close. Really close."

The Somali man's name has not been released at this time.

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Barbara McPherson

at 10:08 on January 2nd, 2010

Religious fanatics are the most dangerous kind. It doesn't matter which god is invoked.

Stephan Wehner (not verified)

at 11:02 on January 2nd, 2010

I heared the attacker actually threw his axe at one of the police officers. Yet they managed to arrest him without killing him.Example reference: www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/02/danish-cartoonist-intruder-shotI find this remarkable in comparison to the many Taser-related killings by police on this continent.Stephan

Stephan Wehner (not verified)

at 11:04 on January 2nd, 2010

Sorry the link is www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/02/danish-cartoonist-intruder-shotThe letter "I" had been added by "the system".Stephan

Amy Judd

at 11:09 on January 2nd, 2010

Thanks for the link!

Darwin Penda (not verified)

at 11:11 on January 2nd, 2010

My thoughts are with Kurt Westergaard and his family, and a thanks to him for his self sacrifice and for making a stand for freedom of speech and freedom of conscience.

Sputnic

at 12:10 on January 2nd, 2010

Duplicate

Sputnic

at 12:09 on January 2nd, 2010

He did it to cause trouble, not for freedom of speech. Whatever happened to blessed are the peace makers anyhow ?

Sputnic

at 13:09 on January 2nd, 2010

Muslims played into his hands, that was a mistake. He admitted to having studied Islam, so he knew what the reaction would be. I am a Muslim peace maker !

Sputnic

at 13:31 on January 2nd, 2010

Perhaps we cannot know for sure, depicting Mohammed at all is not permitted for reasons of avoiding idolatry. Depicting Mohammed in such a way as happened was despicable and totaly uncalled for. There were wars during Mohammeds lifetime, many embraced Islam peacefully. Ghengis Khan gets more respect among certain sections of society. It seems an odd contradiction from people that claim to follow the ten commandments, choosing a Pagan above a Monothist ! War is a brutal thing, and self defence is permitted, killing a plane full of people, is murder, no other term for it.

Sputnic

at 14:10 on January 2nd, 2010

Laws on religious hatred should be brought into play in this case. Its a simple matter of respect, what is wrong with that ? Do you never question your "host" country ?

Uwe Paschen

at 17:25 on January 2nd, 2010

Fanatics and extremism will keep throwing fuel into the fire of hate, disrespect and intolerance until the common people finally have the courage and wisdom to unite and raise up against it and put the fire out, so peace may flourish once again.