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Washington: As
protestors took to the streets in at least 12 nations over an
anti-Islam video, US missions across the Middle East kept security
forces at the ready Friday, the traditional Muslim day of prayers.
"We are in a full-court press at every single one of the posts in
the Middle East and anywhere else there is any chance of
demonstrations," a senior administration official was quoted as
saying by CNN.
Egyptian riot police Friday tried to disperse a huge crowd of
protestors outside the US Embassy in Cairo, where demonstrations
over the US made film, "Innocence of Muslims", ridiculing Prophet
Mohammad, have been going on for four days, the news channel said.
In Yemen, security forces opened fire on protestors near the US
Embassy, it said citing witnesses.
Afghanistan saw its first anti-American protest over the film
Friday, as hundreds of protestors burned a US flag and chanted
"Death to America" and "We condemn the film" at an hour-long
demonstration in Nangarhar province.
Reports of various protests also came in from Tunisia, Morocco,
Gaza City, Israel, Iran and Iraq.
Posted in July on YouTube, the film got more notice recently after
Egyptian television aired segments and anti-Islam activists
promoted it online.
The film distribution permit for "Innocence of Muslims" has been
withdrawn at the request of US authorities, who cited public
safety concerns, CNN said citing Film LA, Inc., the non-profit
agency that oversees production in the Los Angeles area.
Meanwhile, four people have been reported arrested in connection
with the attack on the US consulate in Libya's eastern city of
Benghazi that left US ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three
other Americans dead.
Those arrested were not directly tied to the attacks that resulted
in the deaths, Monem Elyasser, the chief aide to Prime Minister
Mustafa Abushagur, told CNN by telephone.
Elyasser did not release the identities of the four suspects in
custody, nor did he detail the allegations against them.
Given what they know about Al Qaeda in Libya, intelligence
officials believe it is very unlikely that core Al Qaeda was
behind the attack, CNN cited an unnamed intelligence official as
saying.
The US is deploying warships and surveillance drones in its hunt
for the killers of the diplomatic staffers, and a contingent of 50
Marines has arrived to boost the security of Americans in the
country.
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