POPE IS ACCUSED OF BACKING BUSH POLICIES

Protesters Accuse Pope of Backing Bush’s Policies

ISLAMABAD, 23 September 2006 — Hundreds of protesters chanting “Down with the pope” rallied in several Pakistani cities yesterday to condemn the pontiff’s recent remarks on Islam.

Emotions have been high in this country of 160 million since Pope Benedict XVI last week quoted a medieval text that was against the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Islam. He also quoted a text that referred to Islam as being spread “by the sword.”

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Yesterday, more than 500 supporters of a coalition of six religious parties, called Muttaheda Majlis-e-Amal, or MMA, demanded the pope’s removal and accused him of supporting the policies of US President George W. Bush. “If I get hold of the pope, I will hang him,” Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, a senior MMA leader, told protesters in Islamabad, who carried placards reading “Terrorist, extremist Pope be hanged!” and “Down with Muslims’ enemies!”

Ahmed also said the pope had joined US President George W. Bush’s “crusade” against Muslims, referring to Christians who fought against Muslims from the 11th through the 13th centuries.
In Karachi police said at least 100 hard-liners shouted slogans demanding an apology from the pope and criticizing the United States. “Religious leaders like the pope should not use Bush’s tone,” Merajul Huda, Karachi chief of Jamaat-e-Islami party, told the rally.

Another MMA leader, Ghafoor Ahmed, accused the pope of wanting to force “Christians and Muslims against each other.”

“We condemn the pope. We will not tolerate insulting remarks against Islam or our Prophet Muhammad,” Ghafoor said during a protest that gathered about 300 people.

Another 200 people rallied in the eastern city of Lahore, while several dozen protested in Multan.

The protests came a day after 1,000 religious leaders met in Lahore and called for the pope’s removal and warned the West of consequences if it didn’t change its stance regarding Islam.
After the meeting, a statement was issued demanding the West “change its stance regarding Islam (or) it will face severe consequences.”

I wonder if these people, in time, will elaborate on what those "consequences" are going to be...Perhaps we could already guess...LOL

Pertinent Links:

1) Protesters Accuse Pope of Backing Bush’s Policies