Syria: Nordic embassies burnt down

[indu]

In January a major Danish newspaper and a fundamentalistic Norwegian christian magazine printed caricature drawings of the Islamic prophet Muhammed. This has sparked anger against Nordic citizens in several Islamic countries. Today, 4 Feb, an angry mob in Syria's capitol Damascus attacked and burnt down the Danish and Norwegian embassies. Luckily no one was injured in the attacks as the embassies was closed. Some of the demonstrators was brought to hospital due to the Syrian police's use of tear gas in an attempt to disperse the mob.

Norway and Denmark have asked their citizens to leave Syria immediately due to the hostilities, and to be vigilant in other Islamic countries.

A very strange experience indeed, to watch the Norwegian flag be burnt by an angry mob in Syria. This has usually been a "treat" reserved to the US. Now, the Islamic world has turned their anger to these small countries far up north.

I think this is the very first time I as a Norwegian would think twice to visit an Islamic country.