Indignant Afghanistan slams Prophet Mohammad sketch

KABUL, Sept 1 (Reuters) Afghanistan today condemned the printing of a sketch of Islam's Prophet Mohammad with the body of a dog in a Swedish newspaper, calling it hostile towards the Muslim world.

The sketch has also drawn condemnation from neighbouring Pakistan, which condemned the sketch as blasphemous. Muslims believe images of the Prophet are forbidden and also consider dogs to be impure.

''Our Holy Prophet's cartoon in a Swedish paper has provoked all Afghans,'' wrote The Kabul Times today, publishing a statement by religious scholars, imams and the Ministry of Islamic Guidance.

''The sold-out enemies of Islam draw the cartoon of the respected Prophet of Islam once more. This has disturbed the Islamic world and aroused the indignation of all Muslims,'' the statement said, demanding those responsible be handed over to a court for prosecution and punishment.

Cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad published in Denmark, and later reprinted in European newspapers, sparked widespread anger and deadly protests in several Muslim countries in early 2006.

In Afghanistan, 10 protesters were killed during clashes with government forces over the issue, which coincided with rising anger among many Afghans against some Western countries for perceived religious insensitivity.

The United States military last week expressed regret for a publicity campaign that offended many Afghans, after troops dropped free footballs for soccer-mad Afghan children in southeast Afghanistan marked with flags of various countries.

The balls depicted the Saudi Arabian flag, which carries the Islamic declaration of faith and the names of Allah and prophet Mohammad. The idea of kicking them is considered deeply offensive to Muslims.

Afghans have staged sometimes-bloody protests in recent years against the desecration of copies of the Koran by US soldiers at Guantanamo and printing of cartoons of prophet Mohammad.

Analysts believe that failing to understand religious-linked sensitivities may prompt Afghans to join the Taliban in their war against the government and the nearly 50,000 Western troops under the command of NATO and the US military stationed in the country.

REUTERS SLD KP1438