Webloggin » Rogue cartoons kill six in Pakistan

A suspected suicide bomber blew up a car outside the Danish embassy in the Pakistani capital on Monday killing six people and wounding about 20, police and hospital officials said.

The blast will raise fresh questions about the safety of foreigners in Pakistan even though militant attacks have dropped off since a new government came to power after a February general election vowing to negotiate to end violence.

Danish newspapers infuriated Muslims around the world when they published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in late 2005. The cartoons, considered blasphemous by Muslims, sparked deadly protests in 2006 which included attacks on Danish missions.

The embassy in Islamabad was temporarily shut in 2006 after violent protests over the cartoons.

Residents of the neighborhood said they had feared an attack on the mission.

“Since the printing of cartoons, we always had this fear,” said Sana Khalid, a resident of the area. “But what they did to our religion, they deserve it.”