Cartoon backlash grounds quake relief helicopters

The United Nations last week temporarily grounded all helicopters involved in earthquake relief work in northern Pakistan due to growing anger over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published in Western media, an official said today.

The helicopters were grounded as a precautionary measure late last week during Ashoura, an important Muslim festival, as sometimes violent protests escalated in the Muslim world, including Pakistan, against the drawings, said Raabya Amjad, a UN spokeswoman in Islamabad.