Author:
Publication: BBC News
Date: April 22, 2001
The international news magazine
Time has apologised to Muslims after an image of the Prophet Mohammed in
its 16 April issue sparked riots in Kashmir.
Students offended by the image threw
stones at police and burned several cars in Indian-administered Kashmir,
while security forces responded with tear gas and bamboo canes.
The magazine was removed from news-stands
by government order in Malaysia, where Islam is the official religion.
The picture - part of a special
report on "Jerusalem at the time of Jesus" - showed Mohammed meeting the
Archangel Gabriel to receive a revelation from God.
Images of Mohammed are considered
blasphemy in Islam.
'Unintentional affront'
The editor of Time's Asian edition
apologised for what he called "an unintentional affront to the Islamic
faith.
"Time regrets the publication of
this image," said editor Adi Ignatius.
Police in Kashmir said as many as
5,000 people, mostly students, demonstrated in the summer capital Srinagar
and in nearby Anantnag on Saturday in protest at the image.
Kashmir is India's only Muslim-majority
state.
