Crowd calls for teddy bear teacher's death

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Thousand of armed protesters thronged Sudan's Martyrs Square demanding the execution of a British teacher convicted of insulting Islam with a toy bear.

Crowds chanted "Those who insult the Prophet of Islam should be punished with bullets," in protest of Gillian Gibbons, 54, who was convicted of inciting religious hatred when her students named a toy bear "Mohammed," the Telegraph said Friday.

The crowds threatened gathered journalists by drawing their fingers across their throats and several burned newspaper images of Gibbons, the Times of London reported.

Protesters emerged on the square after Friday prayers and shouted slogans outside the presidential palace demonstrating what they perceived to be a lenient sentence imposed on Gibbons.

A court found Gibbons guilty of insulting Islam and sentenced her to 15 days in jail. She originally faced a fine, six-months imprisonment and 40 lashes for inciting hatred.

British Embassy officials were in Khartoum negotiating her deportation to England.

"During the meeting, which lasted 45 minutes, the foreign secretary expressed in the strongest terms our concern at the continued detention of Gillian Gibbons," the British foreign office said.