Cartoonist goes into hiding

Lars Vilks, a Swedish cartoonist whose sketch of the Prophet Muhammad enraged many Muslims, has gone into hiding following an…

Lars Vilks, a Swedish cartoonist whose sketch of the Prophet Muhammad enraged many Muslims, has gone into hiding following an arson attack on his home.

The attack came only days after Mr Vilks, who depicted the Prophet Mohammad with the body of a dog in 2007, was head-butted while giving a lecture about freedom of speech at the University of Uppsala, about 70km from Stockholm.

Mr Vilks has started sleeping elsewhere since an attempted arson attack against his home in Nyhamnslage, southern Sweden, on Friday.

Vilks said he has decided to sleep elsewhere as a precaution, but doesn't think there will be another attack against him right now because of increased police patrols.

"During the day I don't think it is dangerous because I can keep watch over myself," he told the Associated Press news agency. "But I have to realise that I can't be there during the night.".

The artist has faced numerous threats over his 2007 sketch. Earlier this year, US investigators said Vilks was the target of an alleged murder plot involving Colleen LaRose, an American woman who dubbed herself "Jihad Jane," and who now faces life in prison. She has pleaded not guilty.

Swedish police arrested a 21-year-old man late Saturday and a 19-year-old man on Sunday on suspciion of the attempted arson attack. Earlier Saturday, they had found bottles filled with gasoline and minor fire damage to Vilks' home. Several windows at the artist's house had also been smashed. Vilks was not home during the attack.

Vilks drew his picture of Muhammad more than a year after 12 cartoons of the prophet in a Danish newspaper sparked furious protests in Muslim countries. Images of Muhammad, even favorable ones, are considered blasphemous by many Muslims.