Denmark: Muslim reactions to attack against Danish embassy

Imam Abdul Wahid Pedersen called the attack "lunacy". He says it's certainly shocking and horrible. Regardless of whether it was politically or religiously motivated, it's not something that can be comprehended in any way.

He says there have been things in recent years which have set Denmark on the world map and that has made some people upset at us and he's sorry about that, since it's his fatherland. But it does not justify doing something like this, under any circumstances.

Pedersen was also quoted in al-Jazeera, saying that he did not think that attack was related to the Mohammed cartoons:

"The timing is indeed strange ... It is not a hot topic here [in Demark], it is not a hot topic anywhere else," he said.


"It could also be a direct attack on the political situation in Pakistan - a double-hit... It could also be in relation to Afghanistan, Denmark is working in Afghanistan."

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The Islamic Faith Society in Denmark wrote in a press release that nothing can justify such transgression of basic and global rights, that everybody has a right to. The press release was also sent in Arabic to the Arab media.

They say it is totally unacceptable that innocent people are targeted for such barbaric acts as today's terrorist action in Islamabad.

The press release says that this incomprehensible act should not cause more innocent people to feel injustice, and asks people to keep level-headed and not start a counter response.


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The Danish Muslim Council called the attack "shameful". Zubair Butt Hussain, spokesperson for the Muslim Council, says that his organization and the various member organizations are "deeply touched and shocked by the attack on the Danish embassy". Such an attack brings up only repulsion and disgust. Regardless of what the motive might be, such an awful act cannot be justified.

In a press release he said that like the rest of the Danish population, the Danish Muslims have the deepest sympathies with the affected families.

He doesn't think that the Danes should let themselves be repressed, and he thinks that we can't change anything by closing the embassy. For some marginal groups the West has become an icon for evil and there's nothing that Denmark can change about it by itself.

He says that while there have been several bomb attacks in Pakistan, it's not the norm that embassies are targeted and therefore this new phenomenon is undoubtedly causing insecurity in the area, for the embassy and at home.

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Nasar Malik, a Pakistani living in Denmark, says Pakistani authorities should have expected such an attack, since there were demonstrations against Denmark in Islamabad and Karachi every Friday, calling on Denmark to apologize for the cartoons or pay the price.


Malik, a journalist, says that Jamati Islami, a religious party, was responsible for the demonstrations. He says Pakistani authorities say they had done their best but they should have done more to secure the embassy and its surroundings. He also says that he had spoken to many Pakistani-Danes and they are concerned about the developments in Pakistan. he says he thinks it's horrible


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Denmark's Muslims vehemently condemned a car bomb blast that targeted the Danish embassy in the Pakistan capital Islamabad earlier on Monday, June 2 warning this would only serve hate-mongers.

"We condemn this bombing and other acts of violence and extremism," Mohamed Al-Barazi, the chairman of the Muslim Association of Denmark, told IslamOnline.net over the phone from Copenhagen.

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Barazi suspects that the attack is linked to the reproduction of cartoons lampooning Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) by Danish newspapers.


"We denounce the reasons that led to the attack, including (the production) of the blasphemous cartoons," he told IOL.


Denmark's main dailies reprinted in February a drawing of a man described as the Prophet with a ticking bomb in his turban.


The move has reignited a controversy that first surfaced in 2005 after the mass-circulation Jyllands-Posten commissioned and printed 12 cartoons of the Prophet, sending thousands of protesting Muslims into the streets across the world.


Though no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, militant groups in Pakistan have in recent months threatened Denmark over the cartoon reprinting.


Barazi fears the embassy attack will play into the hands of right-wing parties in Denmark.


"This is an irresponsible act that harms the Muslim presence in Europe in general and Denmark in particular," he stressed.


"The attack will play into the hands of right-wing parties in tightening the noose around Muslims."


Barazi hoped Danish Muslims, estimated to number more than 200,000 or three percent of the population, will face no backlash following the attack.


"Muslims have always called for dialogue to avoid facing such a situation.


"Danish Muslims are planning a series of moves to show their condemnation of the attack and a genuine desire to integrate into society."


Sources: DR 1, 2; BT 1, 2, 3 (Danish), Islam Online , Al Jazeera (English)

See also: Pakistan: Explosion at Danish Embassy (BREAKING)