October 19, 2001	Friday	Shaba'an 1, 1422

LONDON, Oct 18: JK (Joanne) Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, has come under attack for allowing the wizard hero to be linked with the products of Coca-Cola in a deal that will bring her 15 million dollars and secure the support of the US corporation in a campaign to encourage the young to read.

The Daily Mail reported on Thursday an organization had been set up to object to the move by Rowling, who has in the past said she would not allow Harry Potter to be exploited.

The campaign is being coordinated through the website www.saveharry.co, set up by Michael Jacobson, director of the US- based Center for Science in the Public Interest, which opposes junk food.

Rowling, 35, said the deal had been done only on condition Coca- Cola ran a reading campaign for young people.

Set up by Warner Brothers, makers of the film of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, it is one among many merchandising arrangements, said to be worth 150 million dollars in total.—dpa