Thaindian News

DPA
Copenhagen, June 2 (DPA) Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller Monday condemned a bombing outside the Danish embassy in Pakistan believed to have claimed at least three lives. Moller, who has called an extra meeting of cabinet ministers, said the bombing was “completely unacceptable.”

The minister told broadcaster TV2 that there were “fanatics and terrorists out there and we are doing what we can to protect ourselves.”

The Danish Foreign Ministry revised its travel advisory for Pakistan Monday, urging Danish nationals to avoid unnecessary trips to the south Asian nation.

Danish nationals in the country were advised to be on the alert.

The Danish embassy has been closed until further notice, the Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen said.

The Norwegian embassy in Islamabad has also been closed and was to be evacuated following the bombing, Norwegian broadcaster NRK said.

No Norwegian nationals were reported to have been injured in the Islamabad blast.

In April, the Danish security and intelligence service (PET) raised its terrorist alert, citing threats in regions where “militant extremist groups” were active, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as North Africa.

In February, security police said they averted a plan to murder newspaper cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who drew a controversial cartoon depicting the Prophet Mohammed wearing a bomb as a turban.

The cartoon was one of 12 images published in September 2005 by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper. The cartoons sparked violent protests in 2006, and Danish companies were boycotted in many Muslim countries.

Leading Danish newspapers republished the cartoons after the alleged plot was disclosed, saying the move was to protect freedom of speech. That publication sparked new protests.
DPA