Draw Mohammed Day poster
Draw Mohammed Day posterCartoon: Molly Norris

Leading terrorist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki has called to murder American cartoonist Molly Norris over “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day,” according to the NY Daily News.  Awlaki, a Yemeni-American, is thought to have inspired a shooting attack and other terrorist actions.



Norris was targeted despite the fact that she did not organize Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, did not attempt to depict Mohammed, and called on others to refrain from drawing Mohammed as well. “Fight for the right to draw Mohammed, then decline doing so,” she said.



The threats against Norris were printed in an online English-language magazine called “Inspire,” started by the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda. The FBI is taking the threats seriously, the Daily News said.



Norris has apparently been targeted because a cartoon she drew inspired others to hold the Everybody Draw Mohammed Day event, even though she personally did not back the initiative. Norris' cartoon showed a variety of objects all claiming to be the true likeness of Mohammed, who is revered by Muslims as a prophet.



Many Muslims consider visual depictions of Muhammad to be blasphemous. Cartoons printed in Denmark that depicted Mohammed sparked international rioting and death threats.