Palestinian refugees in Lebanon on Friday vowed support for Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, who has been singled out by the United States as the prime suspect in the September 11 attacks.
For the first time since the devastating airborne terror attacks on New York and Washington, around 2,000 Palestinian demonstrators emerged from weekly Friday prayers chanting slogans of support for bin Laden.
"Bin Laden make a volcano erupt over the traitors and the Americans," chanted the protesters in a demonstration organized by Islamic fundamentalist groups.
"Our people in Afghanistan, under the leadership of the Taliban, defies the Americans," they repeated in unison as they marched inside the camp on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, an AFP correspondent said.
"May God save Mollah Omar from the Americans," one banner said in reference to the leader of the ruling Taliban militia in Kabul who has steadfastly refused to hand over bin Laden to the United States.
The demonstration was staged by four Muslim fundamentalist movements, including the radial Palestinian organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as Osbat al-Ansar -- one of 27 groups on a US terrorist list.
Dozens of masked armed men mingled with the marchers who carried banners reading: "We must overthrow the Arab leaders who have sold their religion", or "We must overthrow Arab regimes who back Israel and the United States in their war against the Muslim nation".
Some protesters brandished Korans with one hand while raising a fisted hand in a sign of defiance.
Lebanon has strongly denounced the attacks on the United States and, echoing many Arab countries, has urged Washington to make a distinction between terrorism and anti-Israeli resistance -- AIN HELWE, Lebanon (AFP)
