Sweden: Cartoonist Vilks’ fatal car crash was an accident

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish authorities say the police car crash in Sweden that killed Swedish artist Lars Vilks last year was an accident. That statement means the crash was not a targeted attack by extremists on the cartoonist who lived under police protection since his controversial 2007 sketch of the Prophet Muhammad. Swedish authorities say an exploding tire led the driver of the unmarked police car carrying Vilks to lose control and crash head-on with a truck on Oct. 4. The crash killed three people, including the 75-year-old cartoonist. Vilks was largely unknown outside Sweden before his Muhammad drawing. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.