Lars Vilks, the Swedish artist whose sketches of Mohammed as a “roundabout dog” have provoked the latest round of Islamic seething and threatening, has been told by police that he is no longer safe in his home, and must leave.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish artist threatened with death over his drawing of Islam’s Prophet Mohammad has been told by police he is no longer safe living at home.

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, leader of the self-styled Islamic State in Iraq, offered up to $150,000 on Saturday for the murder of artist Lars Vilks for drawing the head of the Prophet on the body of a dog.

“I can’t live here,” Vilks told Reuters by phone. “SAPO (Sweden’s security service) have judged that it (the threat) is very serious.” He was allowed to go home and collect some things but it may be a long time before he is able to return again, he said.

“We have had contact with him (Vilks) and together with him are taking the decisions that are necessary,” a police spokesman said.