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Red Mosque cleric set for sermon Freed Red Mosque cleric defiant
(about 3 hours later)
A hardline Pakistani cleric is to deliver his first Friday sermon at the Red Mosque since being freed from house arrest over the 2007 mosque siege. A hardline Pakistani cleric has delivered a defiant sermon at the Red Mosque, his first since being freed from house arrest over a 2007 siege.
Chief cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz was detained when troops stormed the Islamabad mosque after a 10-day siege to flush out militants. Chief cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz had been detained when troops stormed the Islamabad mosque to end the siege.
The siege, which left more than 100 dead, led to a wave of suicide bombings by militant groups in the north-west. He told thousands of supporters at the mosque on Friday: "The day is not far away when Islam will be enforced in the whole of the country."
Hundreds of supporters greeted Maulana Aziz when he was freed on Thursday. The storming of the mosque left more than 100 people dead.
Followers at the Red Mosque in the centre of Islamabad delivered chants of victory. The action led to a wave of suicide bombings by militant groups in the north-west.
'Peaceful work''Peaceful work'
Since his release on bail, Maulana Aziz in his remarks to the media has described himself a peaceful man who does not support and has not been involved in ordering suicide bombings. Maulana Aziz said to his supporters on Friday: "I tell you that you should be ready to make sacrifices for Islam.
"What we have seen in Swat and the tribal areas is the result of the sacrifices at the Red Mosque: the students, the people who were martyred," he said.
The storming of the Red Mosque shook Islamabad in 2007The storming of the Red Mosque shook Islamabad in 2007
Maulana Aziz was referring to the government's approval of the Sharia justice system in the north-western Swat region. Some Western powers fear that deal may be a capitulation to militants.
Since his release on bail on Thursday, Maulana Aziz, in his remarks to the media, had described himself a peaceful man who did not support and had not been involved in ordering suicide bombings.
But the BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that between the lines the cleric did offer justification for such attacks by saying that the Pakistani government was "fighting other people's wars".But the BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that between the lines the cleric did offer justification for such attacks by saying that the Pakistani government was "fighting other people's wars".
The cleric said that he was not seeking revenge for the Red Mosque killings - the dead included his brother and deputy, Abdur Rashid Ghazi, his mother and his son.The cleric said that he was not seeking revenge for the Red Mosque killings - the dead included his brother and deputy, Abdur Rashid Ghazi, his mother and his son.
Instead, he said he would "peacefully work" for the implementation of an Islamic political system in the country.Instead, he said he would "peacefully work" for the implementation of an Islamic political system in the country.
Our correspondent says it was clear Maulana Aziz would have to be freed as he was only accused of abetting crimes and the prosecution had failed to put together convincing proof.Our correspondent says it was clear Maulana Aziz would have to be freed as he was only accused of abetting crimes and the prosecution had failed to put together convincing proof.
He says the timing of the release is sensitive, as Western powers are already concerned that the government's approval of the Sharia justice system in the north-western Swat region may be a capitulation to militants.
The raid on the mosque in 2007 was prompted by the presence inside the building of dozens of heavily-armed militants.The raid on the mosque in 2007 was prompted by the presence inside the building of dozens of heavily-armed militants.
Its storming angered Islamic hardliners. Suicide bombings and other attacks have continued almost unabated since then.Its storming angered Islamic hardliners. Suicide bombings and other attacks have continued almost unabated since then.