The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has defended a controversial storyline in the comedy cartoon which sees Homer Simpson accuse his Muslim neighbors of terrorism. In a forthcoming episode of the long-running show, dad Homer Simpson convinces friends that a Middle Eastern family are plotting to blow up a shopping mall but is proved wrong when it turns out the family's father, Amid, works in demolition.

When the Simpson family have their Muslim neighbors over for dinner, Homer shows his ignorance of the Muslim faith calling Allah "Oliver" and holy book The Koran "The Corona."

A spokesperson for Britain's The Islamic Cultural Centre & The London Central Mosque has commented on the episode, telling U.K. newspaper the Daily Star, "I hope Muslims take no notice of the show."

But Groening has come out in defense of the plot, saying, "Cartoons deal in stereotypes. We try to be sensitive."

It is not the first time the show has been mired in controversy, with Simpsons bosses recently being criticized for a storyline which implied America's Republican party was involved in a vote-rigging scandal at the 2008 presidential election.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)