Welsh Church says sorry for printing Prophet cartoon

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

LONDON, Mar 21: The Anglican Church in Wales said today ( Mar 21, 2006) it had withdrawn the latest edition of its magazine which featured a reproduction of a controversial cartoon depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

The Church, which is part of the Anglican Communion, said it had recalled about 400 copies of ''Y Llan'', the Welsh langauage periodical it produces, because it featured the cartoon which had appeared in the French newspaper ''France Soir.'' ''The Church in Wales is thoroughly investigating how this cartoon came to be reproduced in Y Llan,'' it said in a statement.

''Despite the publication's small circulation, we are concerned about the possibility of causing any offence to the Muslim community in Wales -- with whom the Church in Wales has an excellent relationship -- as a result of the reproduction of this cartoon.'' The Church in Wales said the Bishop of St Davids Carl Cooper would head an investigation into how the cartoon came to appear in the magazine.

The Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan has also written to Muslim community leaders to apologise for any offence caused.

The controversial cartoons were first published in September in a Danish newspaper and then were reprinted by papers across Europe sparking uproar in the Islamic world and prompting thousands to take to the streets to protest.

Many Muslims believe it is blasphemous to depict the Prophet.

The cartoons have not been published by any major media organisation in Britain, but a large demonstration in London provoked outrage when some demonstrators waved placards with slogans such as ''Massacre those who insult Islam''.

Three men have since been charged with public order offences over the London protests.

REUTERS

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