Police fired tear gas, trying to disperse hundreds of religious students who occupied Islamabad's Red Mosque on Friday and demanded the return of its pro-Taliban cleric, two weeks after an army storming that left over 100 dead.

 

Protesters threw stones at an armored personnel carrier and dozens of police in riot gear on a road outside the mosque. After protesters disregarded police calls to disperse peacefully, police fired the tear gas, and scattered the crowd which mostly fled back inside the mosque compound.

 

 

A voice on the mosque loudspeaker - where a small group of religious students appeared to be in control - appealed for the protesters not to attack security forces, but the situation remained tense.

 

A suicide bomber blew himself up on Friday among a group of policemen near the Red Mosque, killing at least 10 people and wounding many others, a security official said.

 

"A man detonated explosives strapped to his body among two rows of Punjab police constabulary members who were there on duty because of the unrest at the Red Mosque," the security official said on condition of anonymity.

 

"At least 10 people have been killed and many wounded."

 

Interior ministry spokesman Brigadier Javed Cheema confirmed there had been a blast near the capital's Aabpara market and said authorities were still checking details.

 

Earlier Friday, security forces stood by as protesters clambered onto the roof of the mosque and daubed red paint on the walls after forcing the retreat of a government-appointed cleric who was assigned to lead Friday prayers.

 

The protesters demanded the return of the mosque's former chief cleric, Abdul Aziz - who is currently in government detention - and shouted slogans against President General Pervez Musharraf. Later a cleric from a seminary associated with the mosque led the prayers.

 

Armed police stood by but did not enter the courtyard where the demonstration was taking place.

 

Islamabad commissioner Khalid Pervez said police forces did not want to go inside the mosque in case it led to a clash with protesters. He said the reaction of Aziz's supporters was understandable and predicted things would calm down.

 

Over mosque loudspeakers, protesters were vowing to "take revenge for the blood of martyrs".

 

Pakistan's Geo television showed scenes of pandemonium inside the mosque, with dozens of young men in traditional Islamic clothing and prayers caps shouting angrily and punching the air with their hands.

 

(China Daily July 28, 2007)