Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / MIDDLE EAST
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Thursday, 2 February 2006, 11:11 GMT

Gaza gunmen surround EU offices

A Palestinian gunman outside the EU's offices in Gaza Gunmen briefly surrounded the EU's offices in Gaza, demanding an apology for the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in European papers.

Members of Islamic Jihad and the Yasser Arafat Brigades fired into the air and climbed the compound's walls.

The gunmen left the offices after 45 minutes. There were no injuries.

Some Muslim countries have withdrawn their ambassadors to Denmark and boycotted Danish products after a paper there first printed the cartoons.

Other European journals reprinted the images on Wednesday to show support for free speech.

CARTOON ROW

In pictures: Cartoon outrage

Cartoon row: Your reaction

Some of the cartoons depict Muhammad as a terrorist. One image depicts the prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse.

Islam bans any depiction of Muhammad or Allah, in case they lead to idolatry.

The cartoons have sparked protests, flag burning and calls for boycotts across the Islamic world.

Correspondents say armed protests such as Thursday's are common in Gaza.

On Monday, about 15 gunmen burst into the same EU offices and warned citizens of Denmark and Norway, where a newspaper reignited the row earlier this month, not to enter Gaza until an apology was made.

The Norwegian government, however, has taken the threats from Palestinian militant groups seriously and it announced on Thursday that its mission in the West Bank had been closed to the public temporarily.

"We have decided to close our mission in al-Ram to the public for the time being as we consider the security situation," Norwegian Foreign Ministry spokesman Rune Bjaastad said.



E-mail this to a friend

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
France Soir
Jyllands-Posten
Danish government
National League of French Muslims
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©