Irish investigating threats to Swedish artist charge Algerian, Libyan with minor offenses
By APMonday, March 15, 2010
Algerian, Libyan charged in plot to kill artist
DUBLIN — Irish police have charged two men from Algeria and Libya with minor offenses following a weeklong investigation into Muslim extremists allegedly involved in efforts to kill a Swedish artist.
Ali Charafe Damache, a 49-year-old Algerian, was charged Monday with sending a threatening text message. A Libyan who used the false name Abdul-Salam Mansour Al-Jehani was charged with immigration violations.
They and five other Muslims — including Damache’s American wife — were arrested last week over alleged links to threats against Swedish artist Lars Vilks. The other five were released without charge.
Al-Qaida terrorists in 2007 placed a $100,000 bounty on Vilks’ head because he drew a picture of the Muslim prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.
