RIYADH, Feb 16: The Organisation of the Islamic Conference has warned that the reprinting of a blasphemous cartoon by Danish newspapers could worsen relations between Muslims and Christians.

“By reprinting these cartoons we are heading toward a bigger conflict and that shows that both sides will be hostages to their radicals,” OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu was quoted here as saying on Saturday.

“It is not a way of improving your rights and exercising your freedoms when you use these rights for insulting the most sacred values and symbols of others and inciting hatred,” he said.

Several Danish newspapers on Wednesday republished one of the 12 drawings, which had already caused bloody riots in the Muslim world in 2006,