Islamists protest inside reopened Red Mosque in Pakistan

Jul 27, 2007, 8:43 GMT

Islamabad - Islamists turned mid-day prayers into an angry protest demonstration Friday in the Lal Masjid mosque - the scene of a deadly assault earlier in the month when government troops stormed the compound to battle against armed militants inside.

The mosque was reopened to the public three weeks after violent clashes erupted there between security forces and Islamic militants beginning on July 3, which climaxed with the July 10-11 commando assault that left scores of people dead.

A few bearded men stood up in the mosque's main hall Friday as soon as a cleric began to make the call to prayer at around 12:35 pm.

Soon most of the people began chanting slogans of jihad and refused to offer the prayers led by a government-appointed cleric to replace Lal Masjid's chief administrator, Maulana Abdul Aziz, who is currently in the custody of police.

The cleric, Mohammad Ashfaq, was led out of the mosque safely.

The protesters and other worshippers were allowed entry into the mosque after being frisked by police, who had cordoned off all access points leading to the Lal Masjid.

Security was on high alert in Islamabad with intelligence reports of possible suicide bombings by militants.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in attacks on security forces since the mosque siege, with extremists calling to avenge the deaths of 'innocent sisters, brothers and sons.'

The government said some 75 militants were killed in the raid, in which the security forces also suffered about a dozen casualties. But the full extent of the casualties has not been able to be confirmed by independent sources.