Iraqi Shiites rally against Danish reprint of Mohammed cartoon

Thousands of supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr demonstrated Friday against Denmark and Danish newspapers for reprinting a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed.

The demonstrations in the sprawling Shiite Sadr City slum, in the Shiite holy city of Najaf and in neighboring Kufa came after Friday prayers.

"There is no God but God and Denmark is the enemy of God," they chanted as they carried banners demanding that Iraq sever diplomatic ties with Denmark.

"We demand from the Iraqi government to break off relations with Denmark," al-Sadr aid Sadiq al-Eisawi said during his sermon in Sadr City.

The rally also condemned the U.S. presence in Iraq, while protesters burned American and Israeli flags.

In Copenhagen, Iraqi religious and political leaders meeting in Denmark condemned Danish newspapers for reprinting a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed.

It is an offense to all Muslims, according to a declaration issued Thursday by delegates at the conference.

The drawing, which shows Mohammed wearing a bomb-shaped turban, was one of 12 cartoons that sparked major protests in Muslim countries in 2006.

Danish newspapers reprinted it last week in a gesture for free speech after three men were arrested in an alleged plot to kill the cartoonist who created the drawing.

"We condemn this irresponsible behavior from some Danish media institutions under the cover of freedom of expression," the declaration said. It also said the re-emergence of the cartoon had created an atmosphere of hatred.

Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.

	Demonstrators burn the Danish flag during a protest against Danish newspapers reprinting cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad on Friday in Baghdad. (Reuters)