"Q. When do a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and an editorial cartoonist share the same spotlight?
"A. When their names appear together on a death threat.
"Yesterday, Cartoonists Rights Network was informed by one of its most reliable correspondents that Iranian editorial cartoonist Nikahang Kowsar's name has appeared just below that of recently named Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi on an assassination list issued by one of Iran's militant Islamic groups.
"Iranian President Khatami's brother is also there. The group posting the death threat hasn't executed anyone since the late 90's, but some speculate that their credibility may be at stake now. A recently concluded agreement with U.N. Nuclear Site Inspectors has infuriated hard-liners who see the agreement as a threat to their command over certain high ground they hold within the Iranian power structure. They have threatened to kill the people on the list for the good of Islam, wherever in world they find them. Some of those on the list are in countries providing them with asylum, and the police in those countries are being informed of the threat.
"There are ten people on the list.
"Cartoonists Rights Network issued an alert on an earlier list and the organization claiming responsibility, the CHILDREN OF NAVAB SAFAVI, in May of this year."
