Pupil defends teddy row teacher

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Gillian Gibbons, 54, who taught at Unity High School in Khartoum, is facing blasphemy charges after she allowed her seven-year-old pupils to name the class teddy bear Mohammed. Ms Gibbons was arrested on Sunday.

The seven-year-old told reporters he suggested the bear be named after him, and not Islam's prophet.

He said: "The teacher asked me what I wanted to call the teddy. I said Mohammed. I named it after my name."

The boy, whose family did not give his full name, said he was not thinking about the prophet when he made his choice, and described Ms Gibbons as a "very nice" teacher who did not mention religion in class.

Hopes that Ms Gibbons could be cleared were raised after a Sudanese embassy official said the "minute" matter would be resolved very quickly.

Dr Khalid al Mubarak, a spokesman for the Sudanese embassy in London, told BBC Radio 4: "I am pretty certain that this minute incident will be clarified very quickly and this teacher who has been helping us with the teaching of children will be safe and will be cleared.

"Our relationship with Britain is so good that we wouldn't like such a minute event to be overblown."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said efforts were being made to release her "soon".

He said: "Our embassy in Khartoum is giving all appropriate assistance to her."