No evidence to show cartoons were bogus
Ryle Dwyer tells us these three cartoons never appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, and that these three bogus images were obviously included in the booklet in order to cause real offence, unlike the other 12 cartoons which, he says, would be unlikely to offend anyone.
But did the imams ever claim that the extra three images had been published by Jyllands-Posten? And were these images really bogus and only included deliberately to inflame Middle Eastern Muslim opinion, as your columnist suggested?
According to Imam Mohammad Al-Khalid Samha, after they had written to Jyllands-Posten to protest about the cartoons they received threats, swear words and a set of pictures from racists, including a photo of a man from a pig-squealing contest with the name ‘Mohammed’ written down.
Imam Samha insists he never said Jyllands-Posten published this as Danish newspapers claim. This report was published on February 8 by Ahmad Maher of the Islam Online Net website.
The booklet Mr Dwyer refers to, known as the Akkari-Laban dossier, ran to 43 pages and also contained many clippings from another Danish publication named Weekendavisen.
The dossier did not simply concern the Jyllands-Posten cartoons and we have no reason to believe the images were bogus.
Ryle Dwyer went on to say that newspapers around the world should set a date for publishing the Jyllands-Posten cartoons so that the vast majority of decent Muslims could see how they have been manipulated by extremists. It surprises me that your columnist can be influenced to promote a conservative reactionary agenda like publishing the cartoons again.
Such a move would be most unwise and disrespectful. After all, our own Muslims held a demonstration here in which they thanked the Irish media for not reprinting the cartoons, and they cannot be described as extremists.
Yet it is clear that these moderate Muslims who took part in this protest were hurt by the attacks on the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
Joseph Barry
123 Morchampton Road
Donnybrook
Dublin 4
