Student editor apologises for Muhammad cartoon

Posted by Martin Stabe on 13 February 2006 at 10:01
Tags: Muhammad cartoons, Newspapers, Student Media

The student newspaper editor who was suspended with two other journalists after they became the first and only newspaper in Britain to print the controvertial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad has broken his silence.

Speaking to the Western Mail, Tom Wellingham, the editor of Cardiff University’s student rag, Gair Rhydd, apologised for running the cartoons:

“The reproduction of one of the controversial cartoons of the prophet Mohammed in our most recent edition was a na ve and ill-considered course of action which caused needless offence to Muslim students and members of the community alike.

“The cartoon was not reproduced as part of some frivolous defence of freedom of speech, but was a genuine mistake on our part which arose from a desire to give context to a small and balanced world news piece reporting the developing international situation surrounding the cartoons.

“We apologise for the harm we recognise we have caused.”

Yesterday’s editon of the Gair Rhydd — the first published since the last week’s edition containing the cartoons was recalled and pulped — also contained a full-page statement from the university’s Islamic Society calling for peaceful protest. The statement described the article as “not only unthoughtful and irresponsible but a cruel and heartless act by the newspaper involved” which “only serves to intensify and stir frustration evident amongst Muslims at the present time.”

Tags: Muhammad cartoons, Newspapers, Student Media