Teddy 'Mohammad' gets teacher in hot soup

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Khartoum: A British teacher was detained on Tuesday in Sudan after she was charged for insulting Islamic sentiments by allowing her class to call a teddy bear as Mohammad.

Gillian Gibbons, 54, was also charged with inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs.

''Khartoum north prosecution unit has completed its investigation and has charged the Briton Gillian (Gibbons) under Article 125 of the criminal code,'' the Sudanese news agency SUNA said, quoting a senior Justice Ministry official. The matter would go before a court on Thursday and Gibbons was expected to appear.

Lawyers say Gibbons, who is from Liverpool, could face 40 lashes, a fine, or six months in jail if convicted. In London, a spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said, ''This has not been officially confirmed but we are urgently investigating.''

Earlier on Thursday, three British embassy officials and a teaching colleague from the Unity High School where Gibbons worked were allowed to visit her for more than 90 minutes. ''I can confirm that we have met Ms. Gibbons and she said she is being treated well,'' said British consul Russell Phillips. ''We remain in close contact with the Sudanese authorities on this case,'' he said, declining to give further details.