A Danish publisher’s plans to release a book at Christmastime about the Prophet Mohammed’s youngest wife Aisha may be changed .

Following an attack on the home of the British publisher Bjarke Larsen of the Danish Pressto publishing house is now considering the risks involved in marketing the Danish version of the book and says he is rethinking the project due to fears of violent reactions:

“It makes me rethink the situation. I have a responsibility to my family, and that of course makes me think again,” he told politiken.dk.

“On the one hand we have the consideration for the safety of my family and for the fact that things do not escalate out of control. On the other hand we cannot let the freedom of speech be suppressed,” Larsen says.

First attack
He was informed by Danish police about the attack on the British publisher shortly after the episode in London and is now closely following developments in Britain.

“The publication depends on how the situation develops,” he says.

He has had regular contact with Sherry Jones, the author’s American agent.

The book was withdrawn in Serbia, but apart from that, Jones says, there have hitherto been no other threats against the people who are involved in the publication of “The Jewel of Medina”.

Larsen will now meet police to evaluate the risks involved in publishing the book.

“Their advice will be crucial,” he says.

No reason for anger
Larsen says he is surprised that the attack has taken place. “It is not a book that tries to mock or show disrespect to others. On the contrary, it is trying to picture Mohammed and Aisha in a positive light. It is a fascinating account of what happened when Islam was founded,” he says.

It has not yet been decided whether or not the name of the translator should be mentioned in the book.

Similar to Rushdie affair
The publication of the book has been met with sharp reactions from extremist British Muslims and invokes memories of the protests against Salman Rushdie’s 1989 book “The Satanic Verses”.

That publication resulted in Rushdie having to be placed under police protection following the issuance by Iran’s then spiritual leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of a religious edict or fatwa against him.

The publication of the book also resulted in an assassination attempt against the novel’s Norwegian publisher and an attempt to murder the book’s Italian translator.