Danish paper wins Mohammad cartoon libel case

By Gelu Sulugiuc

AARHUS, Denmark (Reuters) - A court ruled on Thursday that a Danish newspaper did not libel Muslims by printing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that unleashed a storm of protests in the Islamic world.

Seven Danish Muslim organisations brought the case, saying the paper had libelled them with the images by implying Muslims were terrorists. One cartoon depicted Mohammad with a bomb in his turban.

Jyllands-Posten, which published the 12 drawings in September last year, hailed the ruling, saying any other outcome would have been a catastrophe for a free press.

A Muslim imam said the plaintiffs would continue to fight in higher courts.

The cartoons were reprinted elsewhere and at least 50 people were killed as angry Muslims rioted in the Middle East and Asia. Three Danish embassies were attacked and many Muslims boycotted Danish goods.

Many Muslims consider it blasphemous to depict Mohammad.

"Of course it cannot be excluded that the drawings offended some Muslims," the Aarhus court said in its ruling.

"But there is no sufficient reason to assume that the cartoons are or were intended to be insulting ... or put forward ideas that could hurt the standing of Muslims in society."