German website closed down

Brussels Journal: From the desk of Edwin Jacobs on Wed, 2006-03-08 19:17

"The German website euroislam.info has been shut down because it published the Muhammad cartoons. The first page can still be found in Google’s cache. The owner of the website apparently received an e-mail (original in German) from his Internet service provider Neue Medien Münnich, stating that the website was shut down immediately and without giving a period of notice.

The service provider motivates the closing down of his customer's website by referring to complaints he received from third parties and his legal obligations as an Internet service provider, but he also adds:

The complaints we received were decisive [for shutting down your site], and also the fact that people are dying elsewhere because of the simple depiction of the Muhammad cartoons. One is allowed to defend strict points of view regarding freedom of expression and freedom of the press. We wonder however whether we should contribute to the fact that a fire is kindled as the result of an exchange of views. We don’t think so."

Click headline; same article lists websites closed down so far.