Muslims angered over French, German newspapers' drawings of the Prophet Mohammad

~ Islamic tradition bars any depiction of the prophet.

PARIS -- French and German newspapers republished caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad on Wednesday in what they called a defense of freedom of expression, sparking fresh anger from Muslims.

The drawings have divided opinion within Europe and the Middle East since a Danish newspaper printed them in September. Islamic tradition bars any depiction of the prophet to prevent idolatry.

The cartoons include an image of Muhammad wearing a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse and another portraying him holding a sword, his eyes covered by a black rectangle.

The front page of the daily France Soir on Wednesday carried the headline "Yes, We Have the Right to Caricature God" along with a cartoon of Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Christian gods floating on a cloud. Inside, the paper reran the Danish drawings.

Germany's Die Welt daily printed one of the drawings on its front page, arguing that a "right to blasphemy" was anchored in democratic freedoms. The Berliner Zeitung daily printed two of the caricatures as part of its coverage of the controversy.

Italy's La Stampa printed a small version of the offending caricature on page 13. Two Spanish papers also carried the photos.

The decision by French Soir drew a stern but measured reaction from the government.

"Press liberties which French authorities defend everywhere in the world cannot be questioned. However, this has to be done within the spirit of tolerance and the respect of faiths and religions," said French Foreign Minister FM Philippe Douste-Blazy during a visit to Ankara, Turkey.

It is unusual for the Foreign Ministry to comment on the contents of French publications, but the issue is sensitive at home. France has Western Europe's largest Muslim community with an estimated 5 million people.

France Soir justified its decision.

"The appearance of the 12 drawings in the Danish press provoked emotions in the Muslim world because the representation of Allah and his prophet is forbidden. But because no religious dogma can impose itself on a democratic and secular society, France Soir is publishing the incriminating caricatures," the paper said.

The Danish daily Jyllands-Posten originally published the cartoons after asking artists to depict Islam's prophet to challenge what it perceived was self-censorship among artists dealing with Islamic issues. A Norwegian newspaper reprinted the images earlier this month.

Angered by the drawings, masked Palestinian gunmen briefly took over a European Union office in Gaza on Monday. Syria called for the offenders to be punished. Danish goods were swept from shelves in many countries, and Saudi Arabia and Libya recalled their ambassadors to Denmark.

The Jyllands-Posten -- which received a bomb threat over the drawings -- has apologized for hurting Muslims' feelings but not for publishing the cartoons. Its editor said Wednesday, however, that he would not have printed the drawings had he foreseen the consequences.

Carsten Juste also said the international furor amounted to a victory for opponents of free expression.

"Those who have won are dictatorships in the Middle East, in Saudi Arabia, where they cut criminals' hands and give women no rights," Juste told The Associated Press. "The dark dictatorships have won."

Demonstrations and condemnations across the Muslim world continued.

Syria on Wednesday recalled its ambassador to Denmark for consultations over the drawings, Syria's official SANA news agency said, and the Supreme Council of Moroccan religious leaders, led by Morocco's King Mohammed VI, denounced the drawings.

An anonymous caller told the Danish embassy in Syria that there was a bomb in the ambassador's office. The building was evacuated, but no bomb was found.

In Turkey, dozens of protesters from a small Islamic party staged a demonstration in front of the Danish Embassy. About 200 riot police watched the crowd from the Felicity Party.

A Norwegian official visiting Beirut, Lebanon, said the drawings encouraged distrust between people of different faiths.

"This is unfortunate and regrettable," Norway's deputy state secretary for foreign affairs, Raymond Johansen, said.

There was also anger in France.

Mohammed Bechari, president of the National Federation of the Muslims of France, said his group would start legal proceedings against France Soir because of "these pictures that have disturbed us, and that are still hurting the feelings of 1.2 billion Muslims."