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An editorial in the Saudi government daily "Arab News" today explained how representatives from 57 Muslim nations met in Mecca in December to organize their response to the Danish editorial cartoons that they believe blasphemed by publishing images of Mohammed. I read a passage from it this morning on the Laura Ingraham show. It has since disappeared from the Arab News website.

Fortunately, the same substance is still published on the IHT website. Here's the money quote, from the communique that was published at the end of the conference:

As leaders of the world's 57 Muslim nations gathered for a meeting in Mecca in December, issues like religious extremism dominated the official agenda. But much of the talk was of a wholly different issue: Danish cartoons satirizing the Prophet Muhammad.

The closing communiqué took note of the issue when it expressed "concern at rising hatred against Islam and Muslims and condemned the recent incident of desecration of the image of the Holy Prophet Muhammad in the media of certain countries" as well as over "using the freedom of expression as a pretext to defame religions."

The manufactured indignation, and the protests and riots that it creates, were planned. This is an organized assault on freedom of the press and freedom of speech. And in Europe, it is becoming very effective.

topics:
Religion, Islam