Arab anger against US war on Iraq

The Moroccan national committee supporting Iraq, an association comprising several political parties and trade unions, branded the US-led war against Iraq "a serious precedent in international relations and a blatant despise of the international community." The committee said in a statement, the attack, conducted in total violation of the UN charter, is a threat to the world security, peace and stability.

It also voices support to the Iraqi people and calls the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility, stop the aggression, ensure the respect of the international legality and restore the United Nations' credibility.

It also launched an appeal to the Arab summit, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement to endeavour without delay to make justice to Iraq and its peoples and preserve peace and stability in the world.

In Egypt and Syria, thousands of protesters vented their fury at the start of the U.S.-led war against Iraq, with some demanding the expulsion of U.S. ambassadors.

In Cairo, the Arab world's biggest city, riot police used water cannons and batons against hundreds of rock-throwing protesters who tried to storm towards the U.S. embassy.

"This war is a sin," said 43-year-old Cairo taxi driver Youssef, as religious music blared from his car radio. "It's a sin because ordinary Iraqis will suffer. It's not a sin because of Saddam, who was too stubborn. He's got a head of stone." "Our hearts are with the Iraqi people," said Moataz, a 33-year-old doctor.

In Yemen, three Yemeni demonstrators and one security member were killed yesterday and 18 demonstrators and other 7 Yemeni police members were wounded in violent confrontations in the surrounding of the US embassy in Sanaa, according to Yemeni security sources and the Yemeni Red Crescent Society at the site of the clashes.

The sources quoted one police member as saying that some of the demonstrators were carrying weapons; "a matter which obliged us to open fire." Reinforcement of the Yemeni riot fighting forces arrived at the site of the clashes.

The police tried to calm down the demonstrators who were chanting slogans denouncing the US, Britain and "Zionism."