Muslims assault U.S. Embassy in Indonesia, More cartoon protests

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

::::::The US is not Denmark:::

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Hundreds of Muslims protesting caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad tried to storm the U.S. Embassy on Sunday, smashing the windows of a guard post but failing to push through the gates. Several people were injured.

Pakistani security forces, meanwhile, sealed off the capital of Islamabad to block a planned mass demonstration and fired tear gas and gunshots to chase off protesters. In Turkey, tens of thousands gathered in Istanbul chanting slogans against Denmark, Israel and the United States.

Protests over the cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper in September and have been republished in other European publications and elsewhere, have swept across the Muslim world, growing into mass outlets for rage against the West in general, and Israel and the United States in particular.

Christians are targets

Christians also have become targets. Pakistani Muslims protesting in the southern city of Sukkur ransacked and burned a church Sunday after hearing accusations that a Christian man had burned pages of the Quran, Islam’s holy book.

That incident came a day after Muslims protesting in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri attacked Christians and burned 15 churches in a three-hour rampage that killed at least 15 people. Some 30 other people have died during protests over the cartoons that erupted about three weeks ago.

In Jakarta, about 400 people marched to the heavily fortified U.S. mission in the center of the city, behind a banner reading “We are ready to attack the enemies of the Prophet.”

‘We are fighting America fiercely’

Protesters throwing stones and brandishing wooden staves tried to break through the gates. They set fire to U.S. flags and a poster of President Bush and smashed the windows of a guard outpost before dispersing after a few minutes.

The U.S. Embassy called the attacks deplorable, describing them as acts of “thuggery.”

A protest organizer said the West, and particularly the United States, is attacking Islam.

“They want to destroy Islam through the issue of terrorism ... and all those things are engineered by the United States,” said Maksuni, who only uses one name.

“We are fighting America fiercely this time,” he said. “And we also are fighting Denmark.”

Protests in Pakistan

In Pakistan, where protests last week left five people dead, police put up roadblocks around Islamabad to keep people from entering the capital for a planned mass protest called by a coalition of six hard-line Islamic parties, the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal — United Action Forum.

Authorities also arrested several lawmakers and Islamic leaders during raids in three cities and announced they would arrest anyone joining a gathering of more than five people to prevent the demonstration.

Opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman, a senior figure in the Islamic coalition, was eventually given permission to lead a small rally through a square in the city center. The protesters chanted “God is great!” and “Any friend of America is a traitor.”

But when about 100 other protesters tried to reach the square, officers fired tear gas and at least one gunshot to chase them off. More gunshots were heard later in the city, but it wasn’t clear who fired them. At least two policemen were injured, one bleeding from the head. Several demonstrators also were hurt.

Stone throwers thwarted

A crowd of 700 people, some throwing stones at police, tried to march toward Islamabad’s heavily guarded diplomatic enclave about 1.3 miles from the square but with blocked by troops in armored personnel carriers.

Police also blocked about 1,500 protesters from reaching Islamabad from the city of Peshawar by putting shipping containers and sandbags on a bridge along a highway leading to the capital, said Mohammed Iqbal, a key member of the religious alliance.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, about 600 people staged a protest in Chaman, a town near the Afghan border, burning Danish flags and an effigy of the Danish prime minister.

Such protests prompted Denmark on Sunday to temporarily recall its ambassador to Pakistan, Bent Wigotski, because it was impossible for him “to perform his job duties during the present circumstances,” the Danish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

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[Jasman0717 9]

This is getting out of control!

[Jaylen Brit 0]

its just an excuse to attack these western embassies; I feel it has gone way beyond the issue of the cartoons..I mean..America has nothing to DO with the cartoons or their being published but they seen as the 'epitome of the evil, decadent West' for those Muslims without a brain in their head who can't seem to understand that other countries are run by different rules and laws, and they aren't the rules and laws of THEIR countries.

Most Muslims I know personally think the whole thing is nuts and that yet again the extremists have hijacked their religion for their own political agendas (thats a quote from a Muslim friend)

[ChristinaM 0]

Unfortunately when the US sets itself up as representing the entire Western world, as it did during the Iraq war, it's then very difficult for it to then distance itself when it's less convenient to be that focal point.

I agree that the muslims are out of line though.

[Melo 1]

This is completely insane

[dalegg 143]

Then there's this:

Deadliest cartoon riots kill 16 in Nigeria

Who knew there even was a large muslim population in Nigeria?

I know chistians love our Jesus, but apparantly it's nothing compared to the way muslims feel about their Mohammed. Am I even allowed to say Mohammed and Jesus in the same sentence?

[babybunny 2]

oh god. I wish these protest would stop.

Pakistan was having Riots all last week .. this is crazy

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Then there's this:

Deadliest cartoon riots kill 16 in Nigeria

Who knew there even was a large muslim population in Nigeria?

It's about as much Muslim as Christian. Seems to have been particularly bad in Nigeria. According to the BBC, the idiot mob there torched serveral Christian churches and business (none of which, of course, had or have anything to do with any cartoons) and also torched a guy. Shows how much of this is really due to the cartoons: Nothing. Those stupid bastards...

[Scott & Lai 12]

This is getting out of control!

Ya think??

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Then there's this:

Deadliest cartoon riots kill 16 in Nigeria

Who knew there even was a large muslim population in Nigeria?

It's about as much Muslim as Christian. Seems to have been particularly bad in Nigeria. According to the BBC, the idiot mob there torched serveral Christian churches and business (none of which, of course, had or have anything to do with any cartoons) and also torched a guy. Shows how much of this is really due to the cartoons: Nothing. Those stupid bastards...

Indeed, nothing at all to do with the cartoons - fanatics will express their fanaticism regardless of any external factors. They don't need any 'help' to do that.

It just shows that the ignorant invariably turn to religion to substitute for a lack of education. Doubtless that's why many religious leaders are against improved educational standards - it reduces their power.

That said, perhaps the solution to the problem lies in understanding the causes of fanaticism, rather than simply pointing fingers at other cultures.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Fishdude

[SteveNanik 0]

It would be much nicer if these ppl would just do something possitive instead of chanting hate slogans. these ppl should be spending time with family. Maybe they could go plant a tree.

[tom&tata 2]

There was a demonstration against the Dannish embassy. They got tired of Dannish embassy (being very small and basically will attract no more media), and go to the US embassy. Well, the US Embassy has always been the "fave" target for demonstration for various reasons.

[faith 0]

They actually have firebombed the Danish embassies in places. Plus they are burning and tearing up Danish flags. And although Denmark is NOT the USA they do have troops down in Iraq and have helped us out in recent times (Gulf War, etc) so they are being "lumped" together with us.

I really should get my hubby in here to give ya'll some of his thoughts on this subject as a Danish person

[I'm Gone 60]

::::::The US is not Denmark:::

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These guys look like they work at a bakery and maybe word got out that the U.S. embassy was serving Danish for breakfast. LOL

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

::::::The US is not Denmark:::

My Webpage

These guys look like they work at a bakery and maybe word got out that the U.S. embassy was serving Danish for breakfast. LOL

The US Embassy is not a pizza oven.