Time sorry for Muhammad image

Kashmir is India's only Muslim-majority state

The international news magazine Time has apologised to Muslims after an image of the Prophet Muhammad in its 16 April issue sparked riots in Kashmir.

Students offended by the image threw stones at police and burned several cars in Indian-administered Kashmir, while security forces responded with tear gas and bamboo canes.

The magazine was removed from news-stands by government order in Malaysia, where Islam is the official religion.

The picture - part of a special report on "Jerusalem at the time of Jesus" - showed Muhammad meeting the Archangel Gabriel to receive a revelation from God.

Images of Muhammad are considered blasphemy in Islam.

'Unintentional affront'

The editor of Time's Asian edition apologised for what he called "an unintentional affront to the Islamic faith.

Time regrets the publication of this image

Adi Ignatius,
Asia editor

"Time regrets the publication of this image," said editor Adi Ignatius.

Police in Kashmir said as many as 5,000 people, mostly students, demonstrated in the summer capital Srinagar and in nearby Anantnag on Saturday in protest at the image.

Kashmir is India's only Muslim-majority state.

Sale banned

Authorities there banned the sale of the magazine following the demonstrations.

It was also banned in Malaysia, although it is not clear how much affect the prohibition will have, since news-stands had already begun selling the next issue of Time.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was unable to explain how the 16 April issue got through the country's censors.

"I don't know how but it seems that they missed it", he said.