Bomb Fury at Rushdie

Jun 19, 04:49 PM

Current Headlines: By BOB ROBERTS, Deputy

THE storm over Salman Rushdie's knighthood intensified yesterday when a Pakistani minister called it a justification for suicide attacks.

Religious affairs leader Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq said honouring the author insulted all Muslims.

He raged at his parliament: "The West is accusing Muslims of extremism and terrorism.

"If someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British Government apologises and withdraws the 'sir' title."

Muslim students burned effigies of the Queen and Rushdie in the eastern city of Multan, chanting: "Kill him. Kill him."

Leader Asim Dahr fumed: "This Queen has made a mockery of Muslims."

The knighthood for award-winning author Rushdie, 59, was announced in the Queen's Birthday Honours on Saturday. In 1989, he provoked the wrath of Muslims who felt his novel The Satanic Verses was blasphemous.

Iran's late leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a death warrant against him - forcing him into hiding for nine years. At the weekend, Iran called the knighthood confrontational.

But Robert Brinkley, Britain's high commissioner to Pakistan, said: "It is simply untrue to suggest this is in anyway an insult to Islam."

Tony Blair's official spokesman said yesterday he would not be drawn into the row.

(c) 2007 Daily Mirror. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.