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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb 2, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Muslim anger over European cartoons of Muhammad prompted widespread protest, and led gunmen to briefly surround the EU Gaza office.
The drawings, first printed in Denmark, sparked a fresh row when they were re-run in several newspapers, leading to the sacking of a French editor.
Hundreds have demonstrated in Pakistan, chanting "Death to Denmark" and burning Danish and French flags, the BBC said.
Norway has closed its mission in the West Bank to the public in response to threats from two militant groups against Norwegian, Danish and French people.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak warned the decision by some European papers to publish the cartoons could encourage terrorists.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai also strongly condemned their publication, saying it was "an affront ... for hundreds of millions of people".
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said the rerun cartoons were "throwing petrol onto the flames of the original issue and the original offense that was taken."
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
