TIMES ONLINE: A Swedish cartoonist whose controversial image of the Prophet Muhammad led to a series of death threats said today that he had secured his property with a homemade panic room and booby-trapped artwork.
The latest threat to Lars Vilks emerged yesterday when seven people were arrested in Ireland accused of plotting to kill the 63-year-old artist.
Mr Vilks responded by saying that he was ready for them. “If something happens, I know exactly what to do,” he said.
His home in southern Sweden now contains a barbed-wire sculpture that could electrocute potential intruders, a secure space to hide in and an axe which will allow him “to chop down” anyone breaking in through his windows.
He said he had learned from American media reports that the woman held in the US Colleen R. LaRose, who had called herself Jihad Jane in a YouTube video, had visited the area where he lives, but he did not know whether that was true. “I’m glad she didn’t kill me,” Mr Vilks said.
The artist, who has dishevelled hair and thick-lenses glasses, said his life was like the plot of a film. “It’s a good story,” he said. “It’s about the bad guys and a good guy, and they try to kill him,” he said.
“They have this woman also which I think is a good part of the plot with this fantastic name, ‘Jihad Jane’ who is actually doing some scouting there in the surroundings,” Mr Vilks added. “As I can see it, you have something of a film there. But as I said, I believe they’re a bit low-tech.”
Three leading Swedish newspapers and the national broadcaster today carried the notorious cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad with a dog's body. >>> Nico Hines and David Charter | Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Prize comment of the day in The Times apropos of this story:
The "Peaceful" religion of Islam strikes again. The Islamic religion/Muslims are the MOST intolerant of ALL people/religions in the world. The fact that their "moderate" wing doesn't stand up and protest their own extremists proves they are also gutless and cowards. Warm Regards, Eric [Simpson] [Source: The Times] | Wednesday, March 10, 2010
