The uproar over the 2005 publication of Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad may have faded in the West, but analysts believe angry Islamic militants may still be seeking revenge. The attack occurred more than two years after cartoons first appeared in Denmark caricaturing the Prophet Mohammad, sparking outrage in the Muslim world. Islamic precepts prohibit any depiction of the founder of their religion, much less a caricature. Denmark has faced renewed terrorist threats since several Danish newspapers reprinted one of the caricatures in February.
Christine Fair, a South Asia analyst for the RAND Corporation, says the controversy over the cartoons may have faded in some areas, but not in Pakistan. "Here in the West, these things spike and then they taper off. In other words, there's a lot of media interest, then everyone forgets about them," she said. "I'm struck when I go to Pakistan that there is just constant anger over the cartoons, and it's not something people have forgotten. Just because it's out of our media cycle doesn't mean that it's out of theirs."