Danish newspapers reprint controversial cartoon

Denmark’s leading newspapers today reprinted a cartoon which depicts the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban.

The papers said they wanted to show their firm commitment to freedom of speech after yesterday’s arrest in western Denmark of three people accused of plotting to kill the cartoonist.

“We are doing this to document what is at stake in this case, and to unambiguously back and support the freedom of speech that we as a newspaper always will defend,” said the Copenhagen-based Berlingske Tidende.

The drawing by Kurt Westergaard and 11 other cartoons depicting Muhammad enraged Muslims two years ago when they appeared in a range of Western newspapers.

Tabloid Ekstra Bladet reprinted all 12 drawings.