Guide Note: In 2005, political cartoons of Muhammad appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. When they were reprinted in a Norwegian newspaper, the cartoons caused an uproar among devout Muslims who felt they were an insult to one of their greatest religious figures. The editor who initiated the cartoons' creation has apologized. However, the illustrations have been reprinted in media of every type as an argument for free speech. This has continued to fan the flames of outrage in the Muslim community, and led to death threats against both employees of Jyllands-Posten and one of the artists, Kurt Westergaard. The cartoons have been republished in 2008, by several Danish newspapers, including Jyllands Posten, the day after 3 people were arrested for plotting to kill the cartoonist who created the images.
Fast Facts:
- September 30, 2005: Cartoons appear in Jyllands-Posten
- Cartoons printed as part of debate over censorship in Denmark
- Dead: up to 50 in protests
- February 12, 2008: Three arrested in plot to kill Kurt Westergaard
Also try: Jyllands Posten
The Mahalo Top 7
- Google News: Mohammed Cartoons
- Wikipedia: Jyllands-Posten Muhammad Cartoons Controversy | Cartoons as Originally Published | Akkari-Laban Dossier
- BBC News: Q&A: The Muhammad Cartoons Row | Q&A: Depicting the Prophet Muhammad
- WorldNetDaily: 'Muhammad Cartoon' Proved Fake
- CBC News: Muhammad Cartoons: A Timeline (2006)
- Time: "The Muhammad Cartoons Go On Trial" (2007)
- Independent: Three arrested for plot to kill Mohamed cartoonist (February 13, 2008)
- Two Tunisians and a Danish man were arrested for allegedly plotting to kill Kurt Westergaard, the cartoonist who drew the first of the Muhammad Cartoons at the center of 2005's controversy.
Muhammad Cartoons News Stories
- Yahoo! News: Mohammad Cartoons
- Courier Mail: "Mohammed Cartoon Makes a Comeback" (February 13, 2008)
- Radio Netherlands: Danish Police Arrest Cartoon Plotters (February 13, 2008)
- Boston Globe: "3 Charged with Plotting to Kill Mohammed Cartoonist" (February 13, 2008)
- The New York Times: In Denmark, Encore for Muhammad Cartoon (February 13, 2008)
- Several newspapers reprinted a political cartoon of Muhammad with a time bomb in his turban after a death plot against the artist was discovered.
- Christian Science Monitor: Swedish artist goes into hiding following Al Qaeda death threat (Sept 19, 2007)
- BBC News: Sweden cartoonist gets protection (Sept 17, 2007)
- Times Online: "Cartoon Protester Guilty of Race Hate" (2006)
- Christian Science Monitor: "Firestorm Over Danish Muhammad Cartoons Continues" (2006)
- BBC NEWS: French Editor Fired Over Cartoons and "Denmark Row: The Power of Cartoons" (2006)
- Sign and Sight: Muhammad Cartoon Special - Collected Articles
- Guardian Unlimited: Danish-Muslim leader lampoons far-right over latest prophet cartoon (October 26, 2007)
Muhammad Cartoons Background
- Wikipedia: Akkari-Laban Dossier and Newspapers that Reprinted the Cartoons
- BBC News: Q&A: Depicting the Prophet Muhammad
- The Free Expression Policy Project: Muhammad Cartoon Commentary
- Wikipedia: Criticism of Islam
Muhammad Cartoons Commentary and Criticism
- TIME: "The Muhammad Cartoons Go On Trial" (2007)
- Spiegel Online: Why I Published the Muhammad Cartoons (2006)
- Village Voice: "The Cartoons Conspiracy" (2006)
- BBC News: What the Cartoons Portray and Contradiction in Arab Cartoon Views (2006)
- Al-Ahram Weekly: "Islam and Globanalisation" (2006)
Muhammad Cartoons Message Boards and Blogs
- Google Blog Search: Muhammad Cartoons posts
- Michelle Malkin: The Mohammed Cartoon Blogburst and Why the Forbidden Cartoons Matter
- The Volokh Conspiracy: Shall We Live Under De Facto Shari'a?
- Jon Swift: Muhammad Cartoons
Muhammad Cartoons Central Figures
- Jyllands-Posten is a Danish daily broadsheet newspaper
- Wikipedia: Jyllands-Posten
- Kåre Bluitgen is a Danish writer and journalist
- Wikipedia: Kåre Bluitgen
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the Prime Minister of Denmark
- Official Site: Anders Fogh Rasmussen
- Official Site: Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Muhammad Cartoons Audio and Video
- NPR Radio Shows: The Muhammad Cartoon Controversy
- YouTube: Danish TV: Muhammad Cartoon
- YouTube: Demonstrations at the Danish Embassy in London
- YouTube: Muhammad Cartoon Protests in Amman Jordan