Two sentenced for arson attack on home of Swedish artist

Jul 15, 2010, 11:19 GMT

Stockholm - Two men were sentenced Thursday for an attempted arson attack on the home of Swedish artist Lars Vilks earlier this year.

Vilks has generated controversy and received numerous threats since 2007 when he depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a dog.

The district court in Helsingborg, southern Sweden, ruled that the two brothers, aged 19 and 21, had attempted to set fire to the artist's home in mid-May.

The older man was sentenced to three years while the younger man received a two-year jail term. The prosecutor had called for a six-year jail sentence for the older brother and four years for the younger man.

The facade of the house was slightly damaged when a lit, petrol- filled plastic bottle was thrown through a window of the house, igniting a curtain.

Vilks was not at home at the time of the attack.

The two brothers denied the charges but during the trial the older man said Vilks was 'an enemy of Islam.'

Police found their jackets near the house containing cash cards, keys and driver's licenses.

The younger brother was also treated for burn injuries at a hospital in Helsingborg shortly after the attack.