Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Denmark Drops Charges Against Man Planning To Kill Mohammed Cartoonist


Insufficient evidence is cited.



COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish prosecutors on Wednesday dropped charges against a Moroccan-born man accused of plotting to murder one of 12 cartoonists whose drawings of the Prophet Mohammad caused worldwide uproar in 2006.

"Even though there is information of a connection between the 40-year-old and the planners of the plot to murder Kurt Westergaard, it is not possible to submit sufficient evidence in court that he took part in the planning," prosecutor Elsemette Casoe said, according to Danish news agency Ritzau.

Westergaard, 73, drew the cartoon that caused most controversy, depicting the founder of Islam with a bomb in his turban. He told Ritzau he accepted the prosecutor's decision but wanted Denmark to deport two other suspects still in detention who are fighting deportation to their native Tunisia.

"These threats have seriously violated my human rights," said Westergaard, who has been living under the protection of Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service. "I'm a supporter of the Danish judicial system. But I think they should have been deported (immediately). It would have been a relief for me."