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| Bounty set over Prophet cartoon | Bounty set over Prophet cartoon |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The purported head of al-Qaeda in Iraq has offered a reward for the murder of a Swedish cartoonist over his drawing depicting the Prophet Muhammad. | The purported head of al-Qaeda in Iraq has offered a reward for the murder of a Swedish cartoonist over his drawing depicting the Prophet Muhammad. |
| The $100,000 (£49,310) reward would be raised by 50% if Lars Vilks was "slaughtered like a lamb" said the audio message aired on the internet. | The $100,000 (£49,310) reward would be raised by 50% if Lars Vilks was "slaughtered like a lamb" said the audio message aired on the internet. |
| The speaker, said to be Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, threatened a new offensive during the holy month of Ramadan. | The speaker, said to be Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, threatened a new offensive during the holy month of Ramadan. |
| Last month's cartoon showed Prophet Muhammad's head on a dog's body. | Last month's cartoon showed Prophet Muhammad's head on a dog's body. |
| Several Muslim countries protested. | Several Muslim countries protested. |
| It is fundamental for Western thinking to be able to express one's artistry without making exceptions for holiness Lars VilksSwedish cartoonist | |
| Last year there were riots over Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, first published in September 2005 by the newspaper Jyllands-Posten. | Last year there were riots over Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, first published in September 2005 by the newspaper Jyllands-Posten. |
| Muslims regard any visual representation of the Prophet as blasphemous. Many Muslims also regard the dog as an impure animal. | Muslims regard any visual representation of the Prophet as blasphemous. Many Muslims also regard the dog as an impure animal. |
| Economic targets | Economic targets |
| The latest cartoon was published by the Nerikes Allehanda newspaper on 18 August. | The latest cartoon was published by the Nerikes Allehanda newspaper on 18 August. |
| Last week, Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt met ambassadors from 22 Muslim countries in an effort to defuse the row. | Last week, Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt met ambassadors from 22 Muslim countries in an effort to defuse the row. |
| But Saturday's taped message said the militants were announcing a "call to shed the blood of the Lars who dared to insult our Prophet". | But Saturday's taped message said the militants were announcing a "call to shed the blood of the Lars who dared to insult our Prophet". |
| Last month some 200 Muslim protesters demanded an apology | Last month some 200 Muslim protesters demanded an apology |
| "During this generous month we announce an award worth $100,000 to the person who kills this infidel criminal," the speaker said. | "During this generous month we announce an award worth $100,000 to the person who kills this infidel criminal," the speaker said. |
| He also announced a $50,000 reward for the killing of the editor of the newspaper. | He also announced a $50,000 reward for the killing of the editor of the newspaper. |
| And he said the Swedish government ought to apologise - otherwise al-Qaeda in Iraq would target "their economy and giant companies such as Ericsson, Volvo, Ikea, Scania". | And he said the Swedish government ought to apologise - otherwise al-Qaeda in Iraq would target "their economy and giant companies such as Ericsson, Volvo, Ikea, Scania". |
| The cartoon's creator, Lars Vilks, told Reuters news agency he was not worried by a threat from people representing "a very small branch of our Muslims". | |
| But he could not disregard it, either, and was in contact with the police. | |
| "It is fundamental for Western thinking to be able to express one's artistry without making exceptions for holiness," he said. | |
| Factional threats | Factional threats |
| The speaker in the 30-minute tape also said he was "honoured to announce at the beginning of Ramadan an offensive in the name of... the martyr of the Islamic nation Abu Musab al-Zarqawi" who was killed in a US air strike last year. | The speaker in the 30-minute tape also said he was "honoured to announce at the beginning of Ramadan an offensive in the name of... the martyr of the Islamic nation Abu Musab al-Zarqawi" who was killed in a US air strike last year. |
| And days after saying they had killed a well-known Sunni cleric opposed to them, the speaker accused the main Sunni party, the Islamic Party in Iraq of co-operating with US-led forces. | And days after saying they had killed a well-known Sunni cleric opposed to them, the speaker accused the main Sunni party, the Islamic Party in Iraq of co-operating with US-led forces. |
| Abdul Sattar Abu Risha was one of al-Qaeda's top targets | Abdul Sattar Abu Risha was one of al-Qaeda's top targets |
| He also vowed to keep targeting members of the minority Yazidi community over their leaders' refusal to allow Yazidis to convert to Islam. | He also vowed to keep targeting members of the minority Yazidi community over their leaders' refusal to allow Yazidis to convert to Islam. |
| Meanwhile, in northern Iraq, a Sunni Arab tribal leader told the BBC that local groups had created a new alliance to fight al-Qaeda. | Meanwhile, in northern Iraq, a Sunni Arab tribal leader told the BBC that local groups had created a new alliance to fight al-Qaeda. |
| Fawwaz al-Jarba, who heads the Shammar tribe in the Mosul area, said local Sunni Arab tribes had joined Kurdish, Christian and Yazidi groups in a new front. | Fawwaz al-Jarba, who heads the Shammar tribe in the Mosul area, said local Sunni Arab tribes had joined Kurdish, Christian and Yazidi groups in a new front. |
| He said the new alliance would not work directly with the United States military, but only through the Iraqi government. | He said the new alliance would not work directly with the United States military, but only through the Iraqi government. |
| In July, the US announced that a top al-Qaeda militant arrested in Iraq had told interrogators that Iraq's supposed al-Qaeda kingpin, Omar al-Baghdadi, was only a front. | In July, the US announced that a top al-Qaeda militant arrested in Iraq had told interrogators that Iraq's supposed al-Qaeda kingpin, Omar al-Baghdadi, was only a front. |