A statement from Shamil Basayev, the Military Commander of the Mujahideen Shura Council in Chechnya, was issued Tuesday, January 31, 2006, to the Arabic website of the Chechen jihad, alqoqaz.net , denouncing Denmark and Norway for the picture representations appearing in publications within their respective states “ridiculing” the Prophet Muhammad and “thereby insulting Muslims everyone”. He states his belief that the publications would not have “dared” to print such a thing if the Muslims were not “weak and divided,” and advises that Muslims should “close ranks” to defend the Prophet.Further, the statement indicates that the Mujahideen Shura Council in Chechnya will hold a meeting to “study the situation and do what must be done about this serious matter”.
Jihadist websites and forums, in general, have been profuse in their condemnations towards the artist and editors involved in the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad appearing in Jyllands Posten and Magazinet, the Danish and Norwegian publications respectively, for any picture representation of the Prophet is forbidden in Islam. This statement from Chechnya is an example of such outpouring, which has been mirrored amongst not only the jihadist Internet community, but insurgency groups within Iraq, as well.