Anti-war demonstration at al Azhar backs Iraqi people

A demonstration at A1 Azhar Mosque in Cairo by 25000 anti-war protesters broke out Friday following Friday's noon prayer, stretching over a 500-meter area.

The demonstrators denounced the Anglo-American attack on the Iraqi people and the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the UN's inability to stop them.

The protesters shouted slogans against the US, Britain and the allied countries in the war on Iraq.

In the Friday sermon, which precedes the noon prayer, Grand Immam of al-Azhar, Mohamed Sayid Tantawi asserted al-Azhar's rejection of the attack on the Iraqi people, pointing out that such aggression was unjust in every way, calling on the Iraqis to continue their strife.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Safwat al-Sherif said the Egyptian media cover the two-side story in the Iraqi crisis.

The lessons assimilated from the ongoing war deal with the lack of basic ingredients in the Arab collective security, al-Sherif said.

Invigorating the Arab common agreement necessitates unified Arab stance, he added.

The text of Arab common defence treaty doesn't fit to the Arab reality, he said, noting that "we shouldn't mislead the public opinion."

The treaty enforcement necessitates joint exercises and concerted armament he said, noting that the treaty is linked to the economic cooperation which serves the military capabilities.

Egypt, under the international agreement, could not block the navigation in the Suez Canal, al-Sherif added.