Racially motivated vandals probed

The attack has been linked to the case of Gillian Gibbons

Police are investigating a racially motivated act of vandalism which was linked to the case of the British teacher who was jailed in Sudan.

Three vehicles in Dundee had the words "teddy bear" scratched on them, Tayside Police said.

The victims are said to be of Asian origin and run a restaurant in Dundee.

Police are linking the incident to the case of Gillian Gibbons, who was imprisoned in Sudan after allowing her pupils to name a teddy bear Mohammed.

Mrs Gibbons, who was found guilty of insulting Islam, has been pardoned and is preparing to fly home.

The van and two cars were parked in Dundee's Kinghorne Road when they were damaged between 2340 GMT on Sunday and 0500 GMT on Monday.

The vandals also punctured 12 tyres on vehicles in the area.

A Tayside Police spokesman said: "Clearly any incident motivated by racism - in whatever form it takes - is deplorable and gives cause for concern.

"As such we want to appeal to anyone who was in the Kinghorne Road area overnight or who knows anything about this incident to come forward."