Arrests over plans to murder Danish Mohammed cartoonist

Feb 12, 2008, 18:13 GMT

Copenhagen - Danish police said Tuesday they had averted an alleged plot to murder a newspaper cartoonist who drew one of the controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that sparked violent protests in 2006.

Three men were arrested early Tuesday near the city of Aarhus in what security police said was a 'preventive measure where the aim has been to stop a crime,' adding that the evidence was insufficient to remand the suspects in custody.

A 40-year-old Moroccan-born Danish national would, however, remain under police surveillance after his release. Two Tunisian nationals were to be deported since they constituted 'a threat to the security of the state.'

Kurt Westergaard's depiction of the prophet wearing a bomb as a turban was one of 12 caricatures published by the daily Jyllands- Posten in September 2005. The publication sparked protests in several Muslim countries and triggered boycotts of Danish goods.

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement that the allegations were 'very serious' and raised 'serious concerns,' referring to 'extremist groups that did not recognize or respect the fundamental principles that Danish society rests on.'

Security police have not raised the terror alert.

Kassem Saed, spokesman for the Islamic Society in Denmark, said the group 'rejected' all threats of violence while urging media and politicians not to use the arrests 'to fan the flames.'

Westergaard, 73, said he was 'angered' that his work was 'abused to unleash such madness,' the online edition of Jyllands-Posten said.

Westergaard and his wife have for several months lived under police protection and have had to move to several secret locations.

Jyllands-Posten's editor-in-chief Carsten Juste said he hoped the arrests had 'averted the murder plans.'