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Copenhagen (dpa) - The chief editor of a Danish newspaper that published caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed deemed offensive by Muslims issued an apology late Monday.
"In our opinion, the 12 drawings were not intended to be offensive, nor were they at variance with Danish law, but they have indisputably offended many Muslims, for which we apologize," Carsten Juste said in a statement on the Jyllands-Posten's web site.
The statement was also sent to the Jordanian news agency Petra.
The publication last September has recently triggered a wave of protests in the Arab region and by diplomats based in the Danish capital Copenhagen, and Danish goods have been boycotted.
Juste said "Jyllands-Posten is a strong proponent of democracy and freedom of religion. The newspaper respects the right of any human being to practise his or her religion."
The editor-in-chief said the decision to publish the caricatures was "part of an ongoing public debate on freedom of expression, a freedom much cherished in Denmark."
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
