Dallas police shoot two men dead after attack on Prophet Mohammad's cartoon contest

WASHINGTON, May 4 (KUNA) -- Police near Dallas, Texas, late Sunday shot dead two men outside a venue hosting a contest for cartoon depictions of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). The contest was dubbed a "free speech event" and an "art exhibit" by its organizer, the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI). The top prize was USD 10,000, and the keynote speaker was Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who is an outspoken critic of Islam. In a statement, Garland Police said the event at the Curtis Culwell Center was wrapping up when "two males drove up to the front of the building in a car. Both males were armed and began shooting at an unarmed security guard, wounding his leg, until "officers engaged the gunmen, who were both shot and killed." A bomb squad also arrived at the scene in case explosives had been planted in the area. While police say there is still no evidence the attack is linked to the cartoons, the incident has reignited the debate on freedom of speech versus the deliberate provocation of minority groups. The AFDIآ’s president, Pamela Geller, also runs the group Stop Islamization of America. (end) ys.rk