Musharraf's Comments Rattle Pakistanis

A report that the United States purportedly threatened military action against Pakistan shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks drew a sharp response and some protest in Pakistan Friday.

A spokesman for Pakistan's largest hard-line Islamic group predicted the issue would further enrage ordinary Pakistanis, who have long believed that they were forced "at gunpoint" into supporting the war on terror.

"The temperature and anger will rise among Pakistanis because they will see that the Americans do not want dialogue or communication, but are instead exploiting a situation and compelling (Pakistani leader Gen. Pervez) Musharraf to support them," said Ameer ul-Azeem, of the opposition Islamic coalition Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal, also called MMA.

Some 500 MMA supporters protesting in Islamabad on Friday against the pope's recent remarks on Islam also condemned Musharraf for not standing up to the United States following the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Musharraf has sold his conscience, he has laid down under (President) Bush, he has stabbed Afghanistan in the back," said Hafiz Hussain Ahmad, a senior MMA leader.

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