Beirut (AsiaNews) –The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and popular resistance committee are warning that "all those who are of these nationalities or who work in the diplomatic corps of these countries are targets", the leaders of Hezbollah in Lebanon are evoking the Khomeini fatwa against Salman Rushdie, tolerant Morocco has banned the circulation of a French newspaper that reproduced them, home ministers from Arab nations, meeting in Tunis have asked the Danish government to take "strong measures" in sanctioning the authors of the Muhammad cartoons published last September by the daily Jyllands-Posten. These are the latest chapters in a wave of reaction that encompasses the entire Islamic world, from Lebanon to Indonesia, along with street protests and a supermarket boycott of all Danish products.  Copenhagen has witnessd counter protests.  

For the most part, the European press is coming out against what it sees a san attack on freedom of expression, but at the same time the director of  France Soir is fired for having published the strips and the editor of  Jyllands-Posten sends out letters excusing and explaining himself.  The 12 cartoons in the strip make fun of Muhammad, have been replicated, in full or edited versions, in Italy (Corriere della sera e La stampa), Germany (Die Welt), Spain(El Periodico), Switzerland (Blick e le annuncia La Tribune de Genève), Holland (De Volkskrant, De Telegraaf e NRC Handelsblad) and the Czech Republic (Dnes).

The clash, because it has now got to this point, is between a "lay"concept of freedom and the need to respect a religious conviction.  But to the latter point of view is added the threat of violent repercussions which breeds concern.  Such as the sentence uttered by  Hassan Nasrallah, leader of  Lebanon's Hezbollah, according to whom western papers would "never have dared to mock the Prophet, considering that Muslims had had the courage to carry out the fatwa of Imam Khomeini against Salman Rushdie". The protests held in Gaza, in Indonesia and in Malaysia echo his words.

In his defense the director of Jyllands-Posten, Carsten Juste, in an open letter published in full by the Middle East Times, he writes that "the publication of the cartoon strips has been viewed in the light of an anti Islam campaign", while the original intent of their publication was "as part of the debate for the right to freedom of expression, a right that is considered of fundamental importance in Denmark". "It was never the papers intention to offend the religious convictions of  any person, as unfortunately has happened". The letter ends with a reminder that on many occasions the paper has apologized for having involuntarily caused offence to believers..

In Europe, the press is examining the incident in some cases calling it an attack on freedom of expression . France Soir, in an editorial writes : "Islam forbids any form of representation of the Prophet ", "the question one must ask, then is the following: are even non Muslims constrained to respect this ban?".  But Raymond Lakah, owner of the Parisian daily, has announced the dismissal of director Jacques Lefranc.

The confrontation has also invaded political realms.  Some Islamic nations, such as Libya and Saudi Arabia have taken official diplomatic steps, requests for Danish government intervention have arrived from many corners of the Islamic world.  

The western governments called to give explanation have replied citing the case for freedom of the press. "The publication only concerns those in direct charge of the  paper", said the French Minister for foreign affairs Philippe Douste-Blazy. Similarly the spokesperson for the Danish government. But it does not seem to quieten the anger of Islam, at least not for the time being.