AL JAZEERA ENGLISH: Somali man charged with attempted murder says he just wanted 'to scare' cartoonist who caricatured Prophet Muhammad.
A Somali man charged with trying to kill a Dane who caricatured Prophet Mohammad has appeared in court, saying he was only trying to scare the cartoonist.
The 29-year-old defendant, who axed his way into the home of Kurt Westergaard on New Years Day last year, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder on the first day of his trial on Wednesday.
"I was irritated and frustrated by his comments. I wanted to frighten him but not to kill him," he told a packed court in the central Danish town of Arhus.
The man was also charged with attempted murder for throwing the axe at police when they confronted him. He could face life in prison if found guilty on all counts: attempted terrorism, attempted murder, attacking a police officer and illegal arms possession.
The defendant, who Danish intelligence police say is linked to the Somali movement al-Shabab, insisted he had "bought the axe to help a friend cut down a tree."
"But I brought it with me to Arhus because I was very angry with [Westergaard] and wanted to break down his door to talk with him," he said. >>> Source: Agencies | Wednesday, January 19, 2011
