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| Denmark throws out cartoons suit | Denmark throws out cartoons suit |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A Danish court has rejected a lawsuit against a paper that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, leading to violent protests worldwide. | A Danish court has rejected a lawsuit against a paper that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, leading to violent protests worldwide. |
| The City Court in Aarhus said it could not be ruled out that some Muslims had been offended by the 12 drawings printed in Jyllands-Posten. | The City Court in Aarhus said it could not be ruled out that some Muslims had been offended by the 12 drawings printed in Jyllands-Posten. |
| But, it added, there was no reason to assume that the cartoons were meant to denigrate Muslims. | But, it added, there was no reason to assume that the cartoons were meant to denigrate Muslims. |
| The suit had been brought in March by seven Muslim organisations. | |
| They accused the paper of publishing text and cartoons which were "offensive and insulting" to Muhammad. | |
| The cartoons, they argued, "attacked the honour of believers because they portrayed the Prophet as war-like and criminal and made a clear link between Muhammad, war and terrorism". | |
| 'Not offensive' | |
| But the judge ruled on Thursday that the cartoons were "not offensive... even if the text accompanying the pictures could be read as being derogatory and mocking". | |
| After Jyllands-Posten published the 12 cartoons on 30 September 2005, a campaign of protest gradually gathered steam in the Muslim world, erupting into deadly riots in February of this year. | After Jyllands-Posten published the 12 cartoons on 30 September 2005, a campaign of protest gradually gathered steam in the Muslim world, erupting into deadly riots in February of this year. |
| Islamic tradition explicitly prohibits images of Muhammad and other major religious figures. At least one of the cartoons also portrayed Muhammad as a terrorist. | Islamic tradition explicitly prohibits images of Muhammad and other major religious figures. At least one of the cartoons also portrayed Muhammad as a terrorist. |
| Death threats were made against the artists. Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen appeared on Arabic TV to apologise for any offence caused. | Death threats were made against the artists. Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen appeared on Arabic TV to apologise for any offence caused. |
| Jyllands-Posten has defended its publication of the cartoons on grounds of freedom of press but it also accepted they had caused offence to many Muslims and apologised. | Jyllands-Posten has defended its publication of the cartoons on grounds of freedom of press but it also accepted they had caused offence to many Muslims and apologised. |