Don't publish those cartoons! Religious leaders across the spectrum in South Africa have come out in support of a Muslim group's actions to seek an interdict preventing South African newspapers from publishing controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed...

An interdict obtained in the Johannesburg High Court on Friday night prevented Inde-pendent Newspapers, John-com Media (publishers of the Sunday Times) and the Newspaper Printing Company from publishing the controversial cartoons.

Zubair Bayat, secretary general of the Jamiat-ul Ulama (Council of Muslim Theologians) in KwaZulu-Natal, said that the interdict had been obtained by the Jamiat-ul Ulama of Transvaal after newspapers had refused to give an undertaking that they would not publish the cartoons.

"It's blasphemy whether it is Mohammed, Jesus or a figure of any other religion depicted that way," said Rev Cyril Pillay, spokesman for the Global Network of Christian Leaders.

Pillay said that while he appreciated that the press should have freedom, it should not be allowed to desecrate other religions.

"Religious tolerance is of paramount importance, especially in a democracy. Muslims were offended by this cartoon so I can understand and appreciate their stance," he said.

Rabbi Hillel Avidan, of the Temple David synagogue in Overport, said he had not seen the cartoons but, from what he had heard of them, they were "a terrible insult to Muslims"...

...Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon, speaking in Tongaat this weekend, said: "The concept of prior censorship is very dangerous.

"It is wrong to blaspheme a figure like Mohammed, but it is not the right thing to ban a publication. Free speech is very important," he said.