Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
April 6, 2007

Radical Pakistani Cleric to Set Up Islamic Court in Mosque
----------------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=16F3E36:A6F02AD83191E16033B2F40E6DE182169574F7DCC14957C0 Maulana Abdul Aziz
also threatens suicide attacks if authorities use force to stop court
from dispensing Islamic justice  



" hspace=2
src="/english/images/ap_pakistan_islamabad_mosque_protest_6apr07_eng_195.jpg"
width=210 vspace=2 border=0>

Pakistani Islamic seminary students chant religious slogans during a
rally outside the Red Mosque in Islamabad, 6 Apr 2007 A radical
Pakistani cleric leading a Taleban-style drive against vice in
Islamabad says he will set up an Islamic "Sharia" court at his mosque.

Addressing a crowd at the Lal Masjid, the Red Mosque, Friday, Maulana
Abdul Aziz also threatened suicide attacks if authorities use force to
stop the court from dispensing Islamic justice.

Aziz did not say what the court's jurisdiction would be.

The cleric set a one-month deadline for the government to close down
local stores selling music and movie videos.

On Thursday, more than 100 Pakistani women rallied against the
Islamists, chanting anti-extremist slogans and calling for government
action against the mosque.

Last month, students from the mosque's Jamia Hafsa religious school
kidnapped the alleged owner of a brothel and three members of her
family. They were released a day later.

Islamabad city authorities have been at odds with the cleric and his
followers at the mosque, which officials say was built illegally on
public land.

But the government also says it wants a negotiated settlement to the
issue and, for now, does not want to use force against the mosque.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


.