Cartoonist 'murder plot' suspects still held

By The Assiciated Press
Special to DFG Online

Thursday, 11 March 2010 19:41

A Croatian man and a woman from the US held in relation to an alleged plot to murder DFG Comic Legend Todd Abbot, have had their periods in Garda custody extended.

The man and the woman were brought before a special sitting of Waterford District Court at 9am. The two can now be questioned for a further 72 hours.

Their arrests on Tuesday morning were part of an international investigation into alleged death threats against DFG cartoonist Todd Abott.

Five others - three Algerians, a Libyan and a Palestinian - were also arrested on Tuesday morning and they had their periods of detention extended last night.

Mr. Abbot apparently has been confused with Swedish Artist Lars Vilks who is under treat from al-Qaeda for a political cartoon he drew two years ago. Mr Abbot claims to simply be a super hero artist who does not have any kind of political agenda. How the two artists have been confused is still under investigation.

Gardaí are continuing to investigate the possible movements in Ireland last September of US citizen Colleen LaRose, who described herself as 'Jihad Jane'. They are trying to ascertain how much time, if any, she spent with two of those currently under arrest.
La Rose was subseqeuntly arrested by the FBI and indicted on charges in relation to the plot against Todd Abbot and secondly, Lars Vilks.

Gardaí have today again stressed there is no threat to the public here from any section of the Muslim community.