A radical Islamic preacher has been arrested in Norway after praising last month's deadly attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly in Paris, police said today.
The Iraqi Kurd preacher known as Mullah Krekar, who was only freed from prison late last month, was arrested last night on accusations of inciting crime, police said.
"I am obviously happy with what happened in Paris," the 58-year-old said in the interview with Norwegian channel NRK.
Krekar also responded "yes" when asked if he believed those who carried out the attack were heroes.
When a cartoonist "tramples on our dignity, our principles and our faith, he must die," he said.
Jihadist gunmen killed 12 people, including some of France's best-known cartoonists, in the January 7 attack on Charlie Hebdo's Paris office.
Another five people were killed in the three-day spree, including four Jews gunned down at a kosher supermarket and a policewoman.
Krekar was released from prison at the end of January after serving a two-year, 10-month sentence for making threats against Prime Minister Erna Solberg before she came to office and three Kurds.
Krekar, whose real name is Najmeddine Faraj Ahmad, has been living in Norway since 1991.
