Norway: Former terror-suspect organizing Muhammed cartoon protest

Norway: Former terror-suspect organizing Muhammed cartoon protest

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Police are concerned because former terror-suspect Arfan Bhatti is among the leaders of a group which is urging to demonstration against the Muhammed cartoons.

The reactions in several Muslim communities is accelerating after Dagbladet printing one of the controversial Muhammed cartoons [Ed: this was not one of the Jyllands-Posten cartoons] last week. Police are concerned since former terror-suspect Arfan Bhatti is among those who are at the forefront for a big event Friday.

"I am concerned of the role Bhatti is playing," chief of staff for the Oslo police Johan Fredriksen told Aftenposten.no.

Arfan Bhatti is among the administrators of a Facebook group which is calling for a large-scale demonstration in front of the Norwegian parliament Friday afternoon. On Wednesday afternoon close to 2,000 Facebook users subscribed to the group.

Bhatti is actively participating in teh discussion on the group's site. He also defends his past to the members.

"That I was a criminal, what does that have to do with my Muslim identity? And who sees my intentions, ONLY Allah," Bhatti writes.

"There are clearly people out there who want discord and ruin for us who want to demonstrate, and that we must Inshallah not let them," he continues.

The post comes in response to several who said somebody had been trying to scare them from participating in the demonstration by an SMS waring that a criminal was behind it.

Source: VG (Norwegian)