Alarmed Muslim leaders to meet over cartoons

Muslim scholars, from over 650 mosques in the UK, are holding an emergency convention in Birmingham to discuss the fall-out.

Alarmed at the Government's decision to prosecute the protesters who during demonstrations against the caricatures of the Prophet waved placards and chanted slogans calling for beheading of editors and broadcasters, Muslim scholars, from over 650 mosques in the UK, are holding an emergency convention in Birmingham to discuss the fall-out of those cartoons.

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The organisers are hoping to co-ordinate protests against the publication of the cartoons under the banner of the Muslim Action Committee (MAC). A spokesman said, "The committee have called an emergency convention of the leading scholars and Imams from all over the UK to discuss the issues and take key decisions as to the way forward.

"It is expected that over 350 of the leading Muslim scholars will attend."

Significantly the conference was announced 24 hours after Omar Khayam, a student protester who dressed as a suicide bomber was sent back to prison. He was on parole after he was sentenced for drug peddling.

He was photographed outside the Danish embassy in London at the weekend wearing an imitation suicide-bombing outfit.

Muslim groups have been swift to condemn the London demonstrators who threatened violence over the cartoons, first published in a Danish paper in September. Most are concerned at the fall-out of more protests on the race relations.

Any incidence of extremism could cause serious backlash as most in the country are livid at the alleged incitement to hate and murder by the protesters.