Seven Muslims have been arrested in Ireland over an alleged plot to kill a cartoonist who depicted the prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog.

Four men and three women were detained following a cross-agency investigation, involving European security organisations, the CIA and FBI.

Some of those arrested are believed to be Irish citizens, with the rest originating from the Middle East.

[Above: Lars Vilks' cartoon sparked worldwide protests by Muslims in 2007]

The arrests were made at around 10am by Garda Officers, supported by the National Support Services and the anti-terror Special Detective Unit.

[Above:  Protesters on Lahore burning a Swedish flag in 2007]

Al Qaeda put a $100,000 (about £66,000) price on Lars Vilks' head after his cartoon was published in a newspaper in 2007.

When the bounty was offered on the cartoonist's head, an extra 50% was offered if he was "slaughtered like a lamb".

The people arrested over the plot are not believed to be part of the terror organisation.

Despite living in an isolated part of Sweden, Mr Vilks was given police protection when the threats were made on his life.

Some $50,000 (about £33,000) was also put up for the murder of the editor of Nerikes Allehanda, the newspaper that printed the cartoon.

At the time the pictures were published protests were sparked all over the world, including in the Swedish town of Orebro, where the paper is based.

The Swedish prime minister was even forced to hold talks with ambassadors from 22 Muslim countries to ease tensions over the drawings.