Prophet cartoons reprinted

2006-04-10 19:34

Tallinn - An Estonian magazine reprinted the 12 controversial caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad on Monday.

The cartoons triggered massive protests and riots across the Muslim world earlier this year. They were initially printed by a Danish newspaper.

Keskus, a monthly Estonian magazine focusing on arts and culture, said it printed the cartoons to give Estonians a chance to decide for themselves whether the cartoons were offensive.

Editor-in-Chief Juku-Kalle Raid said: "If everyone is just talking about the pictures but no one has actually seen them, it's a problematic situation.

"People need to see the pictures to make their own analysis."

Raid said Keskus had decided to print the cartoons in December, but wanted to wait until April for "things to calm down".

Islamic tradition bars drawings of Muhammad.

The cartoons, one of which shows the prophet wearing a turban shaped like a bomb, were reprinted in European papers in January and February.

Estonia's foreign minister Urmas Paet, said Keskus would bear the sole responsibility "should anything happen" to Estonia because of the cartoons.

Paet said the magazine had the right to publish the drawings under Estonia's press freedom laws.

- AP