Islamic Party of Azerbaijan calls on Denmark to apologize to Moslems

The Islamic Party of Azerbaijan has made a statement in connection with publication of caricatures on Prophet Mohammed in Danish newspapers. The authors of the statement received by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent demand the Danish state to apologize to all Islamic world. They also think that all these publications are "tricks of international Zionism."

The statement reminds that such insults happen not for the first time. Therefore, Islamists demand the guilty persons to be "seriously punished." Otherwise, the members of the Islamic Party will take measures against the Danish Embassy in Azerbaijan, the document runs.

There is no Embassy of Denmark in Baku, however, increased security measures have been taken to guard the offices of Danish firms and companies operating in Azerbaijan. Sources at the Office of the European Union in Baku have informed that the citizens of the Kingdom of Denmark who reside in Baku were recommended to exhibit vigilance and care.

We note here that on February 12 the Danish press reported about prevention of an attempt on the life of Kurt Vestergaard, the author of caricatures on Prophet Mohammed. Policemen arrested five persons (all of them are Moslems, and three are citizens of Denmark) who were going to kill the painter.

After the information about the attempt on the painter, the caricatures on Mohammed were reprinted by at least 17 Danish editions. Danish journalists made it in protest against the efforts of a group of extremists to organize an attempt on one of the authors of the caricatures.