In a strange way, the crisis over the Prophet Muhammad cartoons may help Denmark get to know its Muslim community better.

An excerpt from the BBC story:

Many moderate Muslims in Denmark have been shocked by the violence and deaths around the world prompted by the row over Danish cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad.

Rabih Azad-Ahmad, chair of the Multicultural Association, said the row had become too confrontational.

"Now, we have to demonstrate that we are proud of being Danish and that we are supporting Danish values," he said.

In an unexpected turn, the reaction to the attacks on Danish embassies could help promote integration in Denmark.

"I didn't know there were so many Muslims in Denmark who are supporting Western values," said Soren Espersen, an MP for the populist Danish People's Party.

Politicians and the media have a tendency to see Muslims only as criminal, anti-social elements and as potential rapists Open letter by Danish writers

His comments mark a turnaround for the party, which has grown to be the country's third largest on a political platform of nationalism and xenophobia.

They are also likely to have been welcomed by a group of Danish writers who warned two months ago that the harsh tone in the national debate about Muslims and integration was comparable to Nazi rhetoric against Jews.

"Politicians and the media have a tendency to see Muslims only as criminal, anti-social elements and as potential rapists," the writers said in an open letter.

Wake-up call?

Ahmad Akkari says a similar incident must never happen again

However, some of the strongest protests against the cartoons have come from imams who are part of the government's integration think tank.

"We want the newspaper to promise that this will never happen again, or this will never stop," said imam Ahmad Akkari of the Islamic Faith Society.

For the Danish integration minister, Rikke Hvilshoj, that stance is a wake-up call.

"It is very clear that we cannot trust the imams any longer if we want integration to succeed in Denmark," Mrs Hvilshoj says.