Fatwa renewed on novelist Rushdie

TEHRAN, Iran -- Hardline Iranian bodies have renewed a death sentence on the novelist Salman Rushdie.

The move comes ahead of the 12th anniversary of the "fatwa" issued by former leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Rushdie, the Indian-born writer who made Britain his home, was first issued the fatwa on February, 14, 1989, for his alleged blasphemy against Islam in his novel "The Satanic Verses."

The novelist has been under heavy protection by British police since.

But the Iranian elite Revolutionary Guards and the Islamic Propagation Organization have offered no respite for Rushdie.

The IPO said in a statement, quoted by the official news agency IRNA on Monday: "We ask world Muslims to carry out this divine edict and cleanse the world of such mercenary Satans." The Revolutionary Guards also issued a statement through IRNA, which said: "The fatwa against the apostate Rushdie is irrevocable.

"We ask our government to use diplomatic means to prevent the fatwa from being phased out."

The Propagation Organization was created after the 1979 Islamic revolution to promote radical Islamic views around the world.

The calls came despite a 1998 pledge by the Iranian Government not to seek to carry out the fatwa, a move that led to warmer ties with Britain.

Ignoring the pledge, a hardline Iranian foundation last year offered to add interest to its $2.8 million bounty on Rushdie's head.

The Guards, the foundation and the Propagation Organization are among bodies controlled by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are widely seen to be closer to hardline conservatives opposed to President Mohammad Khatami's liberal reforms.

Khatami on Saturday accused hardliners of seeking to harm Iran's international image and undermine democracy at home.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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