VZCZCXRO6854
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHNY #0092/01 0491536
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 181534Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0037
INFO EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OSLO 000092 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM NO
SUBJECT: OSLO MUSLIMS PROTEST DAGBLADET'S PUBLISHING OF A PROPHET 
MOHAMMAD CARICATURE 
 
REF: 09 OSLO 403; 09 OSLO 713 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  Norwegian left-leaning daily Dagbladet's 
published a front-page photo February 3 of suspected terrorist 
Arfan Bhatti pointing out that a Prophet Mohammad caricature was 
available through a link on the Police Security Services' (PST) 
Facebook page.  The fact that the caricature could clearly be seen, 
led to peaceful protests on February 12 and 13, and sparked renewed 
debate among political parties and the Norwegian Muslim community. 
This also became a major story in the Norwegian press with protest 
organizer Mohyeldeen Mohammad's statement serving as a flash-point 
in what one political party leader termed the "stealth 
Islamification" of Norway.  End Summary 
 
 
 
Reaction to the Publication 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  (U) The caricature, published on Dagbladet's front page, 
depicts the prophet Mohammed as a pig writing the Koran.  In 1997, 
this particular image had led to riots, flag burning and a suicide 
bombing in Israel after a Russian-Jewish immigrant Tatiana Susskind 
posted copies of it across the Palestinian city of Hebron. 
Dagbladet's Editor in Chief Lars Helle wrote an editorial on 
February 8 stating that no one had the right to demand that 
Norwegian media be censored by anyone's religious views.  Helle 
then met Oslo Imam Mehboob ur-Rehman February 9 for a 
reconciliation meeting set up by Oslo Conservative Party politician 
Amir Sheikh (a key Embassy contact who awarded President Obama the 
Bridge Builder Award last year).  Asked by ur-Rehman to apologize, 
Helle refused.  He said that Dagbladet printed the cartoon to show 
what was linked to the PST Facebook profile, and not, as protesters 
claimed, to provoke Muslims. Liberal Muslim Amal Aden told centrist 
daily Aftenposten February 12 that the printing of this cartoon is 
particularly offensive and hampers the important work of dialogue 
and integration.  The Iranian Embassy in Oslo issued an e-mail 
condemning the publication, stating that Dagbladet's printing of 
the drawing was a regrettable provocation, as it served no purpose 
other than to incite intolerance and hate. 
 
 
 
Peaceful Protests 
 
---------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3. (U)  The February 12 demonstration's principal organizer, 
24-year old Mohyeldeen Mohammad (also known as Mohyeldeen Bin 
Hamad) and leader of a young, more radical group called "The 
Volunteers"  was widely reported as saying Allah would determine 
whether the demonstrations would turn violent, although he clearly 
stated in a TV interview February 10 that he would work to ensure a 
peaceful demonstration.  Mohammad explained that the demonstration 
was not only against Dagbladet, but against the Norwegian 
government for allowing an "anti-Muslim crusade" to exist in 
Norway.  Arfan Bhatti (reftel A and B),  awaiting re-trial for an 
attempted murder charge and previously charged and acquitted of 
plotting attacks against the U.S.  and Israeli embassies in Oslo, 
was also listed as a demonstration organizer.  Bhatti's exact role 
in organizing the protest was unclear, although he was prominently 
featured in photos, wearing an orange security vest as part of the 
informal security provided by the organizers.  He attempted to 
downplay his own involvement, but he was aware that his presence as 
a quasi-organizer of the protests brought heightened interest in 
them.  A police official commented that Bhatti was behaving as an 
agitator rather than a leader. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U)  The demonstration started with a prayer service, followed 
by speakers, including Mohyeldeen Mohammad, who told the 
demonstrators that Norway would experience a September 11 or July 7 
(date of 2005 terrorist attack in London), adding that it was a 
warning, not a threat, if Norway did not show more respect.  After 
thirty minutes, the crowd quickly grew to almost 3000 
demonstrators.  While the media reported the protest as peaceful 
overall, initial reporting called the protest "out of control" and 
unlawful, as the crowd marched from their approved location 
 
OSLO 00000092  002 OF 002 
 
 
(University Square) to Oslo Central Station, which was not allowed 
by their permit.  The Islamic Council of Norway Secretary General 
Shoiab Sultan discouraged Norwegian Muslims from participating in 
the protest because he feared the demonstration's organizers had an 
agenda that did not reflect the views of most Muslims in Norway. 
Post has good contacts with the Islamic Council of Norway: current 
President Senaid Kobilica is in the U.S. on an International 
Visitors Leadership program.  In an interview with news service NTB 
on February 12, the Muslim conservative columnist Usman Rana 
supported the demonstrators' right to voice their concern but urged 
a peaceful demonstration.   Usman Rana previously  headed the 
Muslim Student Society and remains an important columnist and 
medical student who has been an exchange student in the U.S. and an 
advocate for U.S. style integration.  On February 13 around 200-300 
Muslims marched in Oslo, partly in protest against what they 
perceive as anti-Muslim sentiments in Norway, but also to distance 
themselves from the February 12 demonstration and Mohammad's 
statements.  Also, in  response to the printing of the Muhammad 
caricatures, approximately 1,000 taxi drivers in Oslo and Akershus 
counties went on strike in the busy hours on February 6.  Through 
text messages taxi drivers were encouraged to participate in more 
strikes.  Another three hour long strike was held on the morning 
rush hour  on February 8. 
 
 
 
 
 
Mohyeldeen Mohammad 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶5.  (U)  Since the protest, the media has turned the spot light on 
Mohyeldeen Mohammad.  He responded to one of many interview 
requests and questions by agreeing that homosexuals should be 
stoned to death. As a result, The Norwegian LGBT Association 
reported him to the police for violation Section 227 of the 
Norwegian General Civil Penal Code for making threats. The 
following day, he was placed under arrest after being reported to 
the police by Dagbladet, for threatening two of its journalists. He 
was later released by the police with a caution, although he had 
initially gone to the police station seeking protection due to 
several threatening e-mails and sms he has received since the 
demonstration. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) Norwegian media Progress Party Leader (FrP) Siv Jensen said 
February 13 that when she warned against the "stealth 
Islamification of Norwegian society" last year,  she was made a 
laughing stock, and accused the GoN of not doing enough to defend 
freedom of expression, implying that Foreign minister Jonas Gahr 
St????re was spineless.   He responded by accusing her of spreading 
fear.  Noting that Jensen was highly selective when she spoke of 
freedom of expression, St????re said "She is all for freedom of 
expression in principle until a lawful demonstration is held 
against something she does not like; the very idea of freedom of 
expression is that you have to tolerate things that you deeply 
disagree with."  PM Jen Stoltenberg commented to VG that Mohyeldeen 
Mohammed's remarks about a  9/11 on Norwegian soil verged on 
exhortation to terror.   He characterized himself as an 
uncompromising defender of freedom of expression, but noted that 
the Government and the Storting have tightened restrictions on 
"preparing for or exhorting to" terrorism. 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Comment:  The fact that the protests remained peaceful 
and that influential leaders in the Muslim community discouraged 
demonstration attendance due to Bhatti's and Mohammad's involvement 
is a positive indicator that mainstream leaders reject violence and 
extremism.  The debate also revealed that a significant number of 
Muslims feel alienated in Norway, which could contribute to the 
growing appeal of people like Mohammad and Bhatti.  Also, before 
this incident, radical Islam did not have a "face" in Norway.  Many 
people feared it existed, but only now has it been brought to the 
surface with Mohammad and his sympathizers, which many consider a 
good thing.  Commentators have expressed concern that more extreme 
views are growing among, second-generation Muslims in Norway, 
similar to situations in the UK and in Denmark.  End Comment. 
WHITE