In a followup to a post from last month (Danish Artists Scared of Islam), an imam in Denmark is demanding an apology from a Danish newspaper for publishing cartoons depicting Mohammed. (Hat tip: Filtrat.)

Daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten is facing accusations that it deliberately provoked and insulted Muslims by publishing twelve cartoons featuring the prophet Mohammed.

The newspaper urged cartoonists to send in drawings of the prophet, after an author complained that nobody dared to illustrate his book on Mohammed. The author claimed that illustrators feared that extremist Muslims would find it sacrilegious to break the Islamic ban on depicting Mohammed. Twelve illustrators heeded the newspaper’s call, and sent in cartoons of the prophet, which were published in the newspaper one week ago.

Daily newspaper Kristeligt Dagblad said one Muslim, at least, had taken offence.

‘This type of democracy is worthless for Muslims,’ Imam Raed Hlayhel wrote in a statement. ‘Muslims will never accept this kind of humiliation. The article has insulted every Muslim in the world. We demand an apology!’

Jyllands-Posten described the cartoons as a defence for ‘secular democracy and right to expression’. Hlayhel, however, said the newspaper had abused democracy with the single intention of humiliating Muslims. …

Flemming Rose, cultural editor at the newspaper, denied that the purpose had been to provoke Muslims. It was simply a reaction to the rising number of situations where artists and writers censured themselves out of fear of radical Islamists, he said. ‘Religious feelings cannot demand special treatment in a secular society,’ he added. ‘In a democracy one must from time to time accept criticism or becoming a laughingstock.’

Imam Raed Hlayhel, who thinks democracy is worthless for Muslims unless it’s not really democracy, has been in the news previously when he said in a sermon that Danish women were asking to be raped by Muslim men.

It is not the first time Hlayhel has created headlines in Denmark. One year ago, he became the target of criticism from Muslims and non-Muslims alike, when he said in a sermon during Friday prayer, that Danish women’s behaviour and dress invited rape.

UPDATE at 10/8/05 4:55:20 pm:

Some of the illustrations have been blogged by Uriasposten.

UPDATE at 10/8/05 5:09:42 pm:

The full collection is here: Jyllands-Posten - Verden i fotos. (Hat tip: nadineken.)