Iran, Pope call for end to cartoon violence

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 10:22:42 EST
CBC NEWS ITEM
A top Iranian government official and the Pope have
called for an end to violent protests against cartoons
depicting the Prophet Muhammad, as Danish leaders
condemned a $1-million bounty on the cartoonists.

Iran does not support violence,
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Monday.
"We should try to cool down the situation," Mottaki said
at a news conference in Brussels.
In the past three weeks, at least 45 people have died
worldwide in violent protests against the Danish
cartoons, reaction resulting from the fact some
Muslims reject any depiction of the Prophet as
blasphemous.
The Pope, also calling for calm, said religions
must be respected but that violent responses to
perceived offences are wrong.
"Intolerance and violence can never be justified as
a response to any offence, because it is a response
that is incompatible with the sacred principles of
religion," said Pope Benedict XVI.
Denmark condemns bounty
Denmark, meanwhile, has condemned the reward
offer by a Pakistani cleric for the death of any of
the 12 Danish cartoonists.
"It's murder and murder is also forbidden by
the Qur'an," said
Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller.
"Islam is also a religion of peace, mercy and
forgiveness. That is why it is my opinion, but also
the opinion of many Muslims, this is un-Islamic."
Maulana Yousef Qureshi compared his reward
offered on Friday to the $25-million bounty that the
United States has placed on al-Qaeda's leader,
Osama bin Laden. Qureshi offered $8,400 US, while
two people in his congregation added $1 million US,
plus a car.
All 12 cartoonists have been under police protection
for a month.
Demonstrations continued in Pakistan and
Afghanistan on Monday after a weekend of deadly
riots in Nigeria and Libya.

Hundreds of Afghan students shouted remarks
like "Death to Denmark" and "Death to America" at
a largely peaceful demonstration in Jalalabad, while
Pakistani Muslim leaders vowed to widen their
anti-cartoon campaign.
Pakistani leaders have planned a countrywide
protest for Friday and a nationwide general strike
for March 3, which could coincide with a visit by
U.S. President George W. Bush.

LINK:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/02/20/cartoon-violence06220.html

WOW IRAN YOU HAVE SHOCKED ME?
LOTS OF RESPECT TO
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki