Sudan bans Danish goods over Prophet cartoon

Sudan has banned the import of Danish goods, blaming Denmark's government for allowing papers to reprint a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad that caused outrage in Islamic countries two years ago, state media said. The newspapers reprinted one of the drawings this month, in solidarity with the paper that first printed the cartoons, after police arrested three men on suspicion of plotting to kill a cartoonist who drew one of the images.

Sudan's State news agency SUNA quoted the Ministry of Foreign Trade and the customs police authority as saying they had implemented a presidential decree banning imports of Danish goods. The presidency declined to give detail on the decree, saying the matter was with the ministry.

"(State Minister of Foreign Trade) Al-Simeh Al-Sidig said ... that the presidential decree came after Danish authorities allowed the Danish press to reprint drawings insulting to the Prophet Mohammad," SUNA said late on Monday. Publication of the cartoons two years ago led to protests and rioting in Muslim countries around the world.At least 50 people were killed and three Danish embassies were attacked.

There were boycotts of Danish products, notably dairy produce. This time there have again been street protests in many Muslim countries, albeit much smaller. Egypt has called in Denmark's ambassador to protest. Pro-government media in Sudan say a demonstration against the cartoons is planned there for Wednesday.It was not immediately clear what volume of trade could be affected by the import ban.