An Italian Catholic magazine called Studi Cattolici has published a cartoon, inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, which depicts the Prophet Mohammed in hell cut in two as punishment for spreading division. The cartoon's caption also uses a play on words to suggest Italy's attitude towards Muslims is too soft. The cartoon has been criticised by the Vatican, whose expert on Islam, Father Justo Lacunza Balda, made the following statement: "This really doesn't seem to me like the way towards dialogue and mutual understanding.", and by the Italian section of the World Muslim League, which denounced the cartoon as "in extremely bad taste."

Source: Media Guardian (registration required) For full coverage of the Mohammed Cartoons Row see The Editors Weblog previous postings and here and here and here