Four convicted in terror plot over Mohammed cartoons (PHOTOS)

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Published time: June 04, 2012 08:36
Edited time: June 04, 2012 19:23

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Conflict, Law, Protest, Religion, Scandal

A Danish court has found four men guilty for planning an attack on a Copenhagen newspaper for its publication of satirical cartoons of the prophet Mohammed in 2005.

The four were Muslim residents in Sweden and were arrested in December 2010, just days before the attack was planned. They had been under surveillance by Swedish and Danish intelligence agencies.

The men have pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorism and each face a potential 16-year jail sentence. One of them had pleaded guilty to the possession of illegal weapons.

A machine gun, a pistol and ammunition were found in the men’s possession when they were taken into custody.

Danish police had said the attack on the Copenhagen offices of Jyllands-Posten newspaper was planned “to kill as many as possible.”

The Copenhagen newspaper was the first to publish political cartoons satirizing the Prophet Mohammed. One of the cartoons showed him wearing a bomb as a turban.

The publication was greeted with international furor, sparking riots in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Pakistani demonstrators burn a Danish flag during a protest against the republication of a controversial caricature depicting the Prophet Muhammad, in Lahore on February 15, 2008 (AFP Photo / Arif Ali)

There have been a string of incidents relating to the cartoons since their publication. Two Danish brothers of Somali origin were arrested last week, suspected of plotting an attack that police believe was inspired by the cartoons.

In addition, a Somali man was sentenced to ten years in prison after he attempted to kill cartoonist Kurt Westergaard with an axe in 2010.

Indonesian Muslims shout slogans as they rally outside the Danish embassy in Jakarta October 13, 2006, protesting against a video lampooning the Prophet Muhammad which was broadcasted in Denmark (Reuters / Dadang Tri)

Activists of Pakistani religious organisation the Islami Jamiat Talaba shout slogans during a protest against the republication of a controversial caricature depicting the Prophet Muhammad, in Peshawar on February 15, 2008 (AFP Photo / Tariq Mahmood)

Kenyan Muslims demonstrate in Mombassa 10 February 2006, as they shouted anti-Denmark slogans to protest cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad first published in a Danish newspaper (AFP Photo / Simon Maina)

Comments (16)

Anonymous user 25.04.2013 20:41

I wonder why they get so mad about Muhammad.He was just and evil guy preaching Mcy D's burger meat!

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Rasta (unregistered) 12.09.2012 08:48

Well, replace the regime pro america/israel, by non pro, than provok them and find an excuse to attack other muslims countrys, as saying that they ( israel ) defending themself against terrorism. Hmmmmm Aramggedon is soon budy.

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Ox (unregistered) 05.06.2012 09:52

LDR_ONE wrote in #11
It's funny how you start to hear all these Islam related stories all of a sudden trying to create an excuse for America/Israel to invade Iran,Syria etc , & no I'm not Muslim I'm Greek orthodox
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Yeah MUST be funny and suspicious. I mean, 4 muslims just tried to take the law into their own hands and commit murder cause someone exercised free speech.

B ut no, there is obviously a conspiracy afoot........sigh... ........so tired of these liberals with their hug-a-thug excuses. The story is in the news cause the culprits broke the law. Had they not been radical muslims out for revenge.....the story would not be in the news.

Bes ides, why do you care about this story Mr "Greek orthodox"? Dont you have to rebuild your country thats been destroyed by years of greedy tax evasion and a culture of self entitlement? 30% unemployment in Athens? You dont say
I'm from Australia buddy born and raised & we are doing just fine at the moment and unfortunately there's greedy people everywhere especially American/Israel and there wall st friends who messed up everything for everyone... And Its not correct what these guys r doing but there's radicals in every religion but the media drum up the islamophobia because whats one thing the middle east has?oil!and thats where all the muslims are that's why they are looking for an excuse to invade

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