Somali charged for attacking Dane whose Prophet Muhammad cartoon ignited outrage

Somali charged for attacking Danish cartoonist

COPENHAGEN — Danish authorities say a Somali man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder for an attack on an artist whose cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad ignited riots and outrage across the Muslim world.

Jakob Scharf, head of Denmark’s intelligence agency, said the 28-year-old Somali man with ties to al-Qaida broke into Kurt Westergaard’s home in Aarhus on Friday night. The 75-year-old artist pressed an alarm and fled with his 5-year-old granddaughter to a special safe room.

Police say they then shot the attacker in the hand and knee when he threatened them.

The suspect was charged at a court hearing Saturday in Aarhus.

Westergaard has received several death threats for depicting the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb-shaped turban.