Cartoons protester found guilty

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Oct 9, 2004
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Cartoons protester found guilty



Police made no arrests during the protests in London


A British Muslim has been found guilty of soliciting murder during a London rally against cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad.

Umran Javed was also convicted of using words likely to stir up racial hatred at the February 2006 protest by the jury at the Old Bailey.

Javed, 27, of Birmingham, had said: "Bomb, bomb Denmark, bomb, bomb USA."

Javed had claimed his chants against the two countries were "just slogans" and that he "regrets" saying them.

Remanding him in custody, Judge Brian Barker said he would not pass sentence until several other trials relating to the protest had concluded - expected to be in April.

The maximum penalty for soliciting murder is life in prison.

The cartoons were originally published in a Danish newspaper, before being reproduced in some European countries (but not in Britain).

They caused widespread anger among Muslims and Javed was involved in a large demonstration outside the Danish embassy in London on 3 February 2006.

Earlier, prosecutor David Perry QC told the court how Javed was recorded by the police speaking into a loud hailer outside the embassy.

He was joined by between 200 and 300 other Muslims who had marched from the central mosque in Regent's Park.

Mr Perry told the Old Bailey that Javed "appeared to be one of the leaders". The prosecutor said Javed condemned the cartoons as dishonouring Muhammad and accused "non-believers of declaring war against Islam and the Muslim community".

news.bbc.co.uk