BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (KUNA) -- The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) denounced Saturday the re-publication by Danish newspapers of cartoons which insult the prophet of also urged Muslims to respond with a a civilized way.
"The insulting cartoons, which had previously caused embarrassment to Denmark internally and externally, were republished in Denmark, challenging the feelings of a billion and a half Muslims," said the Brussels-based FIOE in a statement.
"Some forces of extremism" assert, through republishing the offensive drawings, their refusal to respect the human feelings and the dignity of the other, disguised under the banner of freedom of speech, it noted.
Some 17 Danish newspapers recently published the offensive cartoons in the wake of an alleged murder plot against one of the cartoonists.
The cartoons were first published in the Jyllands-Posten newspaper two years ago leading to widespread angry protests in the Muslim world.
The FIOE said that harming people will never achieve the interest of the Danish people; rather, this may damage the image of tolerance that is known about them.
"Republishing the odious drawings by the main Danish newspapers may be clear evidence on how these deviant forces can impose their rejected opinion on the majority," it said.
The statement strongly condemned "this unjustified insistence on harming Muslims", and called on Muslims to face this test with patience and to "confront this malicious campaign, in a civilized way that embodies the tolerance of Islam and its lenience in dealing with people." It reminded the saying of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Verily leniency does not exist in something except that it beautifies it; and it is not taken out of something except that it harms it." (end) nk.tg KUNA 231827 Feb 08NNNN