Swedish artist under threat

Lars Vilks, author of the cartoon

The call by an Iraqi organization with links to Al Qaida to murder a Swedish artist and the chief editor of a provincial newspaper is still topping the headlines in Sweden. The call came in the wake of the artist's drawing of the Prophet Mohammed as a dog-like figurine decorating a traffic roundabout.

The call for the murders appeared on a website run by a little-known group which calls itself the Islamic State in Iraq and which claims close ties to Al Qaida. It has issued a bounty for the murder of the artist, Lars Vilks and Ulf Johansson editor in chief of the provincial paper Nerikes Allehanda for publishing the drawing. It is offering US $100,000 for the murder of Vilks and $50,000 for Johansson's. But the question is how seriously should the threat be taken? Magnus Ranstorp is an expert on international terrorism at the National Defense College in Stockholm.

“Well, I think it’s always serious when you have definable organizations particularly Al Qaida in Iraq that actually pinpoint and specifically mentions both the artist as well as the chief editor of the newspaper. I think it’s very serious in that sense. But I don’t think that there will be specific cells that will be dispatched to come and carry out the threat. Rather, it is more of a directive for anyone who can, who may follow the line or may follow the ideology, you know, as a way of creating confrontation between the West and Islam.”

Some Moslem groups have accused Lars Vilks of exactly that - that his actions would only broaden the already wide gap between the Muslim and Western world. But Birgitta Börjesson, a researcher and lecturer at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications of the University of Gothenburg argues that the Swedish Freedom of Expression Act is crystal clear on the rights of the individual.

“The basics of freedom of expression in Sweden are very, very simple: as few limitations as possible. Which means that we don’t have very many limitations – at least not in peace time. Basically, what comes to individuals – slander of individual persons – and it takes that it is severe things that you say about people to even come near being taken to court for slander. It’s free to say whatever you want in Sweden. And which also gives all those that don’t agree with you the freedom to give their point of view.”

The artist involved, Lars Vilks has said repeatedly that he does not intend to give in to pressure from Islamist groups and has reiterated Sweden's commitment to freedom of expression, view supported by media expert Birgitta Börjesson.

“Lars Vilks is free to say whatever he wants. Whatever he wanted to say with this drawing, he’s free to say it. Lars Vilks, as I understand it, he made this sketch because he thinks that it’s not possible to criticize at least some religions in Sweden today. That’s why he did this. And he was stopped. There were art exhibitions and so on that didn’t dare to show this and that’s why the paper published it.”

Meanwhile, Swedish Muslim groups have also been quick in distancing themselves from the threat issued by the Iraqi group. And they've also been joined by European Muslim organizations in condemning the threat. I spoke earlier to Helena Benouda, Chairperson of the Swedish Muslim Council.

“This is not ethical. This is not legal. This is not good ethics in Islam also as we see it now. We have tried to collect Islamic organizations in Sweden to agree on a common notice that we could send to different media and publish, telling that we are not agreeing on violent methods.”

Did you get a feel for the reaction that other groups of the Muslim community in Sweden have had to this latest threat?”

“We should first think about how badly Muslims felt in the beginning here, in Sweden. How much they felt themselves threatened by at least from this drawings – and still we kept very, very calm in our attitude, in our ways of talking to Lars Vilks. It was very calm demonstrations, it was very calm writings. And we said that we are willing and wanting and demanding to talk in this way and keep this discussion and dialogue in this way, of peaceful methods, because this is hurting Muslims in Sweden first.”

So how has the country dealt with the controversy? Has the "let's talk to each other" approach adopted by the government paid of or is it being seen as caving in to demands by some Muslim groups. Magnus Ranstorp, expert on international terrorism says the government has passed this particular test with flying colors.

“I think in terms of the government, I think the government has done the right thing in the sense of having a dialogue, particularly with the local Muslim community. The government has also not risen to the bait of creating confrontation when this threat came out. They really sidelined it, they really tried to silence it, not to give it any dignity by commenting on it and I think that’s also a very good strategy. And of course the Prime Minister and his government has had consultations with a number of ambassadors from Arab or Islamic countries. That’s also very useful because they will also of course understand the issue but also maybe be able to calm the issue in their localities.”