Italian Reform Minister Roberto Calderoli resigned Saturday after being blamed by Libya for sparking violent protests over the Prophet Mohammad cartoons, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

At least 10 people were killed Friday during clashes at an Italian consulate in Libya and the Italian minister was accused of igniting the violence by wearing a T-shirt featuring the cartoons, the agency said.

The T-shirt was printed with the cartoons satirizing the Prophet Mohammad that have provoked widespread protests in the Islamic world since they were first published in a Danish newspaper in September.

The 49-year-old minister drew strong criticism from his colleagues in the cabinet for wearing the T-shirt and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had asked for his resignation.

Source: Xinhua