The president of Ireland is in Saudi Arabia, condemning the publication of the dreaded cartoons of blasphemy: Irish president condemns Prophet cartoons, violence.

RIYADH (Reuters) - Irish President Mary McAleese on Sunday condemned the publication of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammad but said violence was unacceptable as a way of protesting.

“We abhor the publication of those provocative cartoons, they were designed to provoke, they were designed to be rude, they were designed to inflame, they did all of those things,” she said.

“Muslims have every right to feel angry,” she told reporters in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah where she took part in an economic forum.