That would have been Hizb ut-Tahrir.

And their interests are all about segregating Western Muslims from the post-Christian majority. And getting in the news.

klaus -- About this: the riots that are going on in Copenhagen right now, how connected are they to the cartoon nonsense? From what I understand, they're almost entirely segregation-related, like in France, even if there will be the occasional crossover blown out of proportion by both Islamist and anti-Muslim activists.

In related news, I have a feeling that this could complicate my upcoming MENA trip, should things go wrong: Swedish artist Lars Vilks puts an Arabic version of his Mohammed-the-roundabout-dog musical online... [N.B, offendables beware, anti-prophety content.]

Oh well, hopefully it will pass undetected or at least burst slowly, but the Danish thing doesn't help right now. Perhaps I can pass myself off as Norwegian. Or better still, Icelandic, everybody loves them.

The riots are closely connected...better tell the full story.

The PET, which is the domestic intelligence agency, arrested three men on the charge of plotting to kill Kurt Westergaard, the caricaturist who drew the turban-bomb cartoon, I'm sure you remember the one. All the major newspapers took PET at face value and promptly reprinted the cartoon in solidarity. This in turn prompted the Hizb ut-Tahrir demonstrations and the standard proclamations of offendedness and calls for censorship from the OIC.

Then: Two of the three arrested were Tunesians with residence permits. Since the PET brought the charges under the post-9/11 terrorism laws - without giving any particularly good explanation as to why a murder plot was terrorism - the two Tunesians were expelled "administratively" by the ministry of justice, that is, without being tried before a court. The last of the three was a Dane, who, after a brief interrogation, was released.

Fishy fishy fishy-o, and reeks to high heaven. At this point the riots - which are little more than youngsters burning a few cars and schools - lots of schools - break out. This evidently to protest the expellings. A similar riot happened a few years before, when - I believe - a Lebanese was expelled for life for a murder, though back then he was actually tried and convicted before a court. Not this time, though.

So there it is. In my opinion PET fouled this one up completely, and unnecessarily fanned the flames of the civilisation wars. Should have provided Westergaard with more security and gathered more evidence. On the good side, the current Danish minister of justice (attourney general for you Americans) is a bonafide (classic) liberal, and confessed to doubts about this whole business of "administrative" judgments. The expellings are also being challenged in court, so it may eventually rid Denmark of some of the ugliest post-9/11 laws. Maybe.

Ah, thanks. That's about how it's being reported here, but without the detail. The protesters, are they now mostly protesting the caricatures or the terrorism/murder case? I mean, in so far as they are not just upset about the world in general.

The "protesters" have been less than forthcoming about their reasons for burning down schools, they are not particular organised, no ETA-like spokespeople in hoodies...just hoodies.

If I have to guess, I'd say it's the expellings, like last time. No more Islamic than Les Racaille were, I don't think they care much about Islamic jurisprudence. The burning of schools also seems more Bart Simpson than Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Fundamentally, there is a problem with a group of rootless young men obsessed with respect, living and breathing macho-ideals, identifying with a particular religion, and living in a society that has a history of progress through disrespecting religion.

Man, I'm tired of talking about this. Must be how MENA veterans feel about Israel-Palestine issues.

"Man, I'm tired of talking about this. Must be how MENA veterans feel about Israel-Palestine issues."

By George, I think he's got it.

The burning of schools also seems more Bart Simpson than Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Great line. Any "Allah Akbar, Dude!" signs being waved?

Kind of reminds me of the Bert & Osama thing from a few years ago.

http://www.mlcsmith.com/strange/bertsama_bin_laden/