History of controversy with Muhammad cartoons

PARIS (KABC) -- Wednesday's deadly attack centered on Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper that caricatured Muhammad. It's the latest example of controversy surrounding depictions of the prophet.

In Denmark in 2010, a 28-year-old Somali man was arrested after attempting to kill a 75-year-old cartoonist who had drawn a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban.

"There are certainly analogies between what happened in Paris and the build-up in Denmark," said Tim Tanghlerini, a professor at UCLA.

Tangherlini is working on a book about the Danish cartoon controversy, which sparked a heated debate about religious sensitivity and freedom of expression.

"The debate is going to become more polarized, and what we want with debate is we want to find common ground. We don't want polarization, but this is a polarizing action," Tangherlini said.

In April 2010, the creators of South Park used a depiction of Muhammad in their cartoon. But after a number of death threats, Comedy Central censored the image and bleeped out references to his name.

In some Islamic traditions, depictions of Muhammad are blasphemous. Others say that's a misinterpretation of the Quran, but leaders of the local Muslim community are in agreement when it comes to denouncing the attack in Paris.

"What these terrorists are doing is they're playing the role of God, and, if anything, they're committing a sin in associating partnership with God, which is one of the worst sins in our religion," said Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

A spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations in Anaheim says nothing can justify attacks on innocent people.

"If someone uses free speech to insult and mock Prophet Muhammad, we should also be using free speech, as we always do, to educate and correct these perceptions about Prophet Muhammad," said Hussam Ayloush of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Local Muslims tell Eyewitness News the terrorists who carried out the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris do not speak for their God or for their religion.