Legal Commentary

Arrests in Plot to Murder People at Danish Newspaper That Published the Mohammed Cartoons

By Eugene Volokh

The New York Times reports:

A group of men arrested in Denmark on Wednesday were about to mount a ?Mumbai style? attack on the Danish newspaper that ignited Muslim fury around the world by publishing satirical cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2005, the head of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service said....

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen of Denmark told reporters that he was ?shocked? by the planned attack.

?Regardless of today?s event, it remains my conviction that terrorism must not lead us to change our open society and our values, especially democracy and free speech,? he said.

Thanks to Prof. Howard Friedman (Religion Clause) for the pointer. UPDATE: A commenter asked for a link to the cartoons, so I thought I?d mention that they are reproduced and discussed in this post.

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on December 31, 2010 (boomark / email).