Banaadir radio broadcast (in Somali) – Aired from Mogadishu, on 1700 gmt 9 Nov 00

[Translated by BBC Monitoring] A huge demonstration was held in Mogadishu’s Hararyale municipal football stadium to condemn the Israeli government for unleashing violence on Palestinians and at the same time express support for the legitimate liberation struggle of the Palestinian people.

The protest, which was organized by students from schools and universities in Banaadir Region [Mogadishu and environs], was attended by religious leaders, officials of Mogadishu Islamic Courts and people from all walks of life.

The demonstrators carried banners with slogans “Down with Israel” “Let Islam triumph” “Palestine shall be free” among other phrases. They carried portraits of the Hamas founder, Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, and the Palestinian leader, Yasir Arafat, as well as Palestinian flags. Israeli flags were torched.

The demonstrators were addressed by Shaykh Hasan Uthman and Shaykh Nur Ma’alin Abdirahman of the Islamic Courts, as well as Abdisalam Ahmad Yusuf representing Mogadishu students. The speakers urged world Muslims to unite and declare jihad on Israel.

Units of Islamic Courts militia maintained security at the site of the demonstration.

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