Posted on 07/06/2008 2:07:07 AM PDT by HAL9000
via translation -
Thousands of Islamists commemorate the storming of the Red Mosque
Thousands of Islamist radicals gathered in Islamabad to celebrate the first anniversary of the bloody storming of the Red Mosque. The capital of Pakistan is placed under high surveillance.
Many demonstrators deemed close to the Taliban and Al Qaeda brandissaient black flags and slogans scandaient paying tribute to the "martyrs" of the headquarters of the Red Mosque. The police established a security perimeter around the mosque, inaccessible by car, with son barbed wire and search pedestrians in the search for possible weapons.
"We demand to act against those who ordered the operation and are responsible for the death of innocents," said Mufti Abdul Rehman, spokesman of the Action Committee of the Red Mosque.
The event also aims to seek the release of the head of the mosque in prison and restitution of control over the complex administrators who had the burden, he said.
"Today, it will be a peaceful demonstration but we can not guarantee that it will last if the government did not give us satisfaction," Mr. threatened Rehman.
More than 100 people most of them women, discarded in the place of worship from July 3, 2007, had perished in the assault carried out on 10 and 11 July by the army and police.
Note: Photos included.
1 photo caption: “Pakistani protesters belonging to the Hizb ut-tahrir take part in a rally in Peshawar”
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http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hLLwaVTWmv5_r84yYt6PyR2kvySA
“Pakistani Islamists converge on capital for Red Mosque demo”
2 hours ago
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “ISLAMABAD (AFP) — Thousands of Islamist hardliners converged amid tight security in the Pakistani capital on Sunday to commemorate the first anniversary of the deadly siege and storming of the Red Mosque, officials said.
Religious leaders were set to address a crowd in front of the building, where they would call for the release of the mosque’s jailed leader and for the government to hand back control of the complex to its former administration.
Pakistani troops surrounded the radical mosque on July 3, 2007 after clashes with Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants holed up inside, and stormed it one week later. More than 100 people were killed during the operation.”
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