US publisher of Muslim book closes office

Source International Herald Tribune

NEW YORK: The U.S. publisher of a controversial novel about the prophet Muhammad closed its offices as a "precautionary action," but emphasized that no threats had been received and that "The Jewel of Medina" would be released as planned.

"We were out of the office for a meeting today, and we felt it was unfair for the employees to be back there without management," Eric Kampmann, president of Beaufort Books, said Monday. The publisher took on Sherry Jones' novel after it was dropped by Random House Inc. over security concerns.

In London, police said they arrested three men Saturday on suspicion of terror links, relating to a fire at the home and office of publisher Martin Rynja, whose Gibson Square announced earlier this month that it would issue "The Jewel of Medina," a fictionalized version of Muhammad and his child bride, Aisha.

Beauport, the publisher that issued O.J. Simpson's reviled, once-rejected "If I Did It," plans to release "Jewel of Medina" on Oct. 15, with a first printing of 50,000.

As of Monday afternoon, the book was No. 204 on Amazon.com. Barnes & Noble Inc. and Borders Group Inc. will both stock the book in stores, according to spokeswomen for the superstore chains.

Kampmann said he has discussed possible security arrangements with the FBI and New York City police, but added that nothing was planned and that there were no immediate worries about safety.

Random House was supposed to publish Jones' novel in August, but pulled it after determining that Muslims would be offended by its subject matter. The publisher acknowledged that it received no specific threats, saying in a statement that "credible and unrelated sources" had warned that the book "could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment."