British teacher moved to secret location as thousands of Sudanese protest

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Thousands of Sudanese, many armed with clubs and knives, protested Friday outside the presidential palace in Khartoum, demanding the execution of a British teacher convicted of insulting Islam for allowing her students to name a teddy bear Muhammad. In response to the demonstrations, Gillian Gibbons was moved from the Omdurman women's prison near Khartoum to a secret location, said her chief lawyer Kamal al-Gizouli shortly after visiting her to discuss the verdict. "They moved this lady from the prison department to put her in other hands and in other places to cover her and wait until she completes her imprisonment period," he said, adding that she was in good health. "They want by hook or by crook to complete these nine days without any difficulties which would have an impact on their foreign relationship." The protesters streamed out of mosques after Friday sermons, as pick-up trucks with loudspeakers blared messages against the teacher who was sentenced Thursday to 15 days in prison - five of them already served - and deportation.