Morocco bans magazine for insulting Islam

The Moroccan government has banned an issue of the French magazine L'Express International, claiming it insults Islam in articles exploring the relationship between that religion and Christianity. Khalid Naciri, the Information Minister, said he had to ban the issue because of the "offensive" articles. The cover carries the headline "The Jesus-Muhammad Shock", which is also the title of a book by Christian Makarian, one of the magazine's editors. The weekly said the series of articles was inspired by a meeting planned this week in Rome between Christian and Muslim scholars and was intended to "help the dialogue between Islam and Christianity". Mr Naciri did not specify what was offensive, but implied the material "could be prejudicial to our religion or undermine public order".

The L'Express said on its Web site that the series of articles comparing Christianity and Islam was inspired by a meeting this week in Rome between Christian and Muslim scholars, which aims to "help the dialogue between Islam and Christianity."

L'Express said it did not understand the ban on its international edition in North African countries, particularly because of the pains it took to adhere to Islamic norms. The magazine covered the face of Islam's prophet, Muhammad, with a white veil in side-by-side cover portraits of Jesus and Muhammad, in line with Islamic law.

The French edition of the magazine leaves the face uncovered.