Gillian Gibbons controversial teddy locked up in Khartoum vault

The cuddly bear that sparked off a storm in Sudan has been locked away in a Khartoum vault.

London, Dec.3 : The cuddly bear that sparked off a storm in Sudan has been locked away in a Khartoum vault.

Authorities anxious to draw a line under the controversy, The Sun quoted sources as saying that the two-feet-long bown teddy named Mohammed would never see daylight again.

He is being held at the CID department of the Ministry of Interior in Khartoum.

Pleas by The Sun to free Mohammed were refused yesterday. A source said: "It's a life sentence for the bear. He's in a police store and will never be handed back.

"The government wants this case file to stay firmly closed."

Last week, 54-year-old British-born teacher Gillian Gibbons was informed that she could be shot dead for naming the teddy bear Mohammad. Earlier, she was told that she would be spending 15 days in Khartoum's infamous and squalid Omdurman Women's Prison.

Thousands of Sudanese marchers amassed outside the presidential palace in Khartoum on Friday to state that the 15-day prison sentence for Gillian was too lenient and that she should be put to death.

The protesters streamed out of mosques after Friday sermons, as pick-up trucks with loudspeakers blared messages against Gillian.

They also burned pictures of Gillian and massed in central Martyrs Square, outside the palace, where hundreds of riot police were deployed, though they did not attempt to disrupt the rally, reported The Sun.

"Shame, shame on the UK", "No tolerance: Execution," and "Kill her, kill her by firing squad" rent the air in Khartoum streets.

Gillian's chief lawyer, Kamal al Gizouli, said the protests were so overwhelming that his client had to be moved out of the prison near Khartoum to a secret location.

"They moved this lady from the prison department to put her in other hands and in other places to cover her and wait until she completes her imprisonment period," he said, adding that she was in good health.

"They want by hook or by crook to complete these nine days without any difficulties which would have an impact on their foreign relationship."

Most protestors did not believe Gibbons' claims that she didn't mean to insult the prophet.

"It is a premeditated action and this unbeliever thinks that she can fool us?" said Yassin Mubarak, a young dread-locked man swathed in green and carrying a sword.

"What she did requires her life to be taken."

Meanwhile, Britain continues to pursue diplomatic moves in a bid to free Gillian.

ANI