DUBAI: Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden threatened the European Union with grave punishment on Wednesday over cartoons of Islam's Prophet Mohammad. In an audio recording posted on the Internet coinciding with the birthday of Islam's founder, bin Laden said the drawings, considered offensive by Muslims, were part of a "crusade" in which Pope Benedict was involved. "Your publications of these drawings -- part of a new crusade in which the Pope of the Vatican had a significant role -- is a confirmation from you that the war continues," said the Saudi-born militant leader in a message addressed to "those who are wise at the European Union". You are "testing Muslims ... the answer will be what you shall see and not what you hear. May our mothers lose us to death if we did not rise in defence of the messenger of God..." The message, produced by Al-Qaida media arm As-Sahab, coincides with the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. Bin Laden said the publication of the cartoons was a graver offence than the "bombing of modest villages that collapsed over our women children." "This is the bigger catastrophe and the more dangerous one and for which the punishment is graver." The cartoons were first published by the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten in September 2005 but a furore erupted only after other papers reprinted them in 2006. In one of the cartoons Mohammad was wearing a bomb as a turban. At least 50 people were killed in the protests against the publication of the cartoons, which Muslims say are an affront to Islam. Newspapers which have reprinted the cartoons argue they are defending the right to media freedom. The message apparently is the first by bin Laden since Nov. 29 when he urged European countries to end military participation with US forces in the Afghan conflict. Bin Laden, the man behind the Sept. 11 attacks on US cities, issued a number of messages late last year after a hiatus of well over a year raised speculation that he might be dead or incapacitated. Bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding in remote areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan, has tended to release messages to mark significant dates or events.

Rueters, Ist. "Osama Bin Laden Warns EU Over Prophet Cartoons." The Indian Times 20 Mar. 2008. 19 Mar. 2008 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Osama_bin_Laden_warns_EU_over_Priophet_cartoons/articleshow/2883057.cms.

This aritcle is about Osama bin Laden's warning to European nations about the offensive political cartoons about Mohammed. He threatened the EU and said the pope is to blame for these cartoons. He said that these were attacks against the Muslim religion and that all Muslims should rise up and defend in the name of god.

This document relates to the AP world history of the development and interaction of cultures because in involves with a conflict between two religions, Muslims and Roman Catholics.

The conflict between Muslims and all Christians has been going on since the crusades. But the tensions eventualy calmed down between these two religions until the extremists of the religion, such as Osama bin Laden, launched a series of attacks, most of which occured on September 11th 2001. The Muslim extremists launched these attacks because they think that America will corrupt their beliefs. The tensions between these faiths increased since these attacks occured and now several political cartoons that show offense to the Muslim religion have shown up in newspapers in Christian goverments. This is what Osama bin Laden wants to stop.

India was divided into two nations about 60 years ago, one being the Muslim Pakistan and the other being Hindu India. The divide was triggered by the contant fighting between the Muslims and the Hindus. They are sill fighting today.

For the most part, there is not too much bias in this article. You can tell some bias in the way he puts the word crusades in parentahasis. You can also tell that after they write the name Mohammed they do not say peace be upon him. You can also tell the bias in the quotes from Osama and the way he refreces the European nations with hatred.

I would like to hear from the creator of the cartoons to see why he is making these cartoons, and how much hatred is behind his words

I find the cartoons very offensive. A couple weeks ago when we were doing the unit of Islam, I went onto google and looked for a picture of Mohammed to show that he was always vailed. Racist picture of Mohammed came up as the top results and no Islamic pictures were shown. All of the picures were extremely offensive to the religion of Islam. I feel bad for the Muslims because everybody critisices their religion and that is unfair. I feel that these racist cartoons should be stopped, but peacefully and not through terrorism. Terrorism made the Muslims look like the enemies, and it will make matters worse if it is theroute Osama bin Laden decides to take.