Three men seized by armed anti-terrorist officers during an apparent arson attack on the London publisher of a novel featuring the prophet Muhammad were being questioned last night.
In a “pre-planned” operation, detectives arrested the suspects outside the home of Martin Rynja in Islington, north London, after a petrol bomb reportedly exploded. Neighbours described seeing smoke before firemen broke down the front door.
The attack was believed to be linked to the forthcoming publication of The Jewel of Medina, a fictionalised account of the relationship between Muhammad and his child bride A’isha.
The book, described by the independent publisher, Gibson Square, as a “historical novel of the love story”, has been at the centre of a growing international dispute.
Due to have been published by Random House, it was dropped from its summer list for fear that it would anger Muslims. That decision was condemned by Sir Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses, as “censorship by fear”.
Rynja, 44, who runs Gibson Square from his home, could not be contacted yesterday. He was reported to be under police guard.
Announcing his decision to publish the book earlier this year, he said: “In an open society there has to be open access to literary works, regardless of fear. As an independent publishing company, we feel strongly that we should not be afraid of the consequences of debate.”
Sherry Jones, the American journalist who wrote The Jewel of Medina, has denied that her work would provoke a violent response.
“To claim that Muslims will answer my book with violence is pure nonsense,” she told a German newspaper.
“Anyone who reads the book will see that it honours the prophet and his favourite wife.” Much of the controversy has focused on the description of the relationship between the two.
Detectives are understood to have warned Rynja before the attack about possible threats.
Scotland Yard said: "[In the early hours of Saturday] officers from the counter-terrorism command arrested three men under the Terrorism Act 2000 in a pre-planned, intelligence-led operation.
“The men, aged 40, 22 and 30, were arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. Two of the men were stopped by armed officers and arrested in the street outside a property in Lonsdale Square, and the third following an armed vehicle stop near Angel tube.
“A small fire was extinguished at a property in Lonsdale Square, which at this early stage is being linked to the arrests of the men.” Officers were also searching four London addresses, two in Walthamstow, one in Ilford and another in Forest Gate, all in east London.
