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Security forces seal Pakistani capital to quell prophet cartoon protests IMthew Pennington THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistani security forces arrested hundreds of Islamic hard-liners, virtually sealed off the capital and used gunfire and tear gas Sunday to quell protests against caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Pakistan had banned protests after riots killed five people in two cities last week. Elsewhere in the Muslim world on Sunday, demonstrators with wooden staves and stones tried unsuccessfully to storm the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia, while tens of thousands rallied in the Turkish city of Istanbul and complained about negative Western perceptions of Islam. Troops patrolled the deserted streets of the northern Nigerian town of Maiduguri, where thousands of Muslims attacked Christians and burned churches Saturday, killing at least 15 people during a protest over the cartoons. Most of the victims were beaten to death by rioters. In Saudi Arabia, newspapers ran full-page apologies by Jyllands Posten, the Danish newspaper that first ran the caricatures in September. The newspaper’s Web site said businesses placed the ad on their own initiative, using an apology issued by the newspaper late last month. It did not identify the companies or say if they were Danish. Boycotts of Danish products throughout the Muslim world have taken a heavy toll on Denmark’s exporters, especially those selling Denmark’s famed dairy products. The cartoons, which have been reprinted by other Western publications, have outraged Muslims. But protests over the past three weeks have grown into a broader anger against the West in general, and Israel and the United States in particular. Demonstrations have turned increasingly violent and claimed at least 45 lives worldwide, including 11 in Afghanistan during a three day span two weeks ago and 10 on Friday in the Libyan coastal city of Benghazi. The Libyan riot outside the Italian consulate apparently was sparked by a right-wing Italian Cabinet minister who wore a T-shirt with a caricature of Muhammad. On Sunday, thousands of police and paramilitary troops manned armored personnel carriers and sandbag bunkers in and around Islamabad to block a planned rally organized by a coalition of hardline Islamic parties that sympathizes with the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan and is fiercely anti-American. As roadblocks went up around the capital, authorities declared they would arrest anyone joining a gathering of more than five people. Maulana Fazlur Rahman, an opposition leader who denounced the government ban as unconstitutional, was allowed to stage a small rally with eight other opposition lawmakers and a few supporters. They chanted “God is great!” and “Any friend of America is a traitor.” But police fired tear gas and guns to chase off hundreds of stone-throwing protesters who tried to join the rally and then enter an enclave where most foreign embassies are. The three hour clash left the street littered Vith rocks and spent tear gas shells. An Associated Press reporter saw two injured police, one bleeding from his head, and several injured protesters. Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said police used tear gas, but denied they fired guns. The private Geo TM network said officers fired rubber bullets. Qazi Hussain Ahmad, a top leader of the hardline Islamic coalition, the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (United Action Forum), was confined to his Lahore residence and others were detained or told to stay at home, police said. “These people could create problems of law and order,” said Chaudhry S.hafqaat Ahmed, chief investigator of the Lahore police. In Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, police said 15,000 coalition supporters, most wearing white shrouds of mourning splashed with red paint to symbolize their willingness to die defending the prophet’s honor, rallied peacefully. Twelve-year-old Amar Ahmed joined the protest, carrying a sign reading, “O Allah, give me courage to ’ kill the blasphemer.” Hundreds of Muslims burned a church in the southern city of Sukkur. No worshippers were inside at the time, but one person was hurt afterward when police fired tear gas. Adnan Ali / The Associated Press Thousands of Pakistani protesters gathered to condemn the publication of cartoons depicting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad on Sunday in Karachi, Pakistan. SHERIRRR • COnTinUEOFROIRI Paterson said. Frank Knapp, president of the Knapp Agency of advertising and public relations, called the 200-plus crowd “a great turnout.” The cannon firing was the first activity of a day commemorating General Sherman’s march to Columbia and the subsequent destruction of the city. Knapp said a painting of Union troops crossing the Saluda River on Feb. 16, 1865, was unveiled at a reception Friday. The artist, John W. Jones of Columbia, used an illustration by a reporter traveling with Sherman’s army to recreate the scene. The painting was auctioned off and the funds from the sale will be used for the operations of the Alliance, who commissioned the painting. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the State Museum there were various presentations on the Civil War as well as museum tours. A symposium was held with presentations from local experts in Civil War history. There were also bus tours that followed the path of Sherman’s march through Lexington County into Columbia. The tours stopped at the Congaree Creek in Cayce, the Columbia infill ruins inside Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens, and the remains of the burned Saluda River Bridge, which is also inside the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden property. The bus tours were sold out by the time of the cannon firing, Knapp said. The day was capped off by a gospel concert of period music by McGowan’s Band in the State Museum auditorium. Rachel Beanland, public relations manager of the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, said the event began last year to capitalize on the historic tourism that Columbia has to offer. Beanland said the zoo was “seeking to remind people about the historic events that happened in Columbia. It’s not a North vs. South thing.” “It’s not your typical Civil War re-enactment,” Beanland said. “It’s more than that.” Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu — B WBlgP8® 9Vf SsNmte f ms-*mm GMAT ! GRE I LSAT I MCAT I DAT I OAT I PCAT Take a FREE practice test at this event and you’ll receive a detailed score analysis and exclusive strategies to help you prepare for Test Day! February 25th 10am Humanities Classroom Building USC Campus the following tests will he offered: I .SAT, GMAT, GKE, MCAT, DAT, PCAT ENROLL Limited seats are available. Call 1-800-KAP-TEST TO DAY or visit kaptest.com/practice. •Test names are registered trademarks of Star respective owners 6PGA0003 Dcnn • connnuED FRom i could give USC the option of what Pratt calls “buying students.” He mentioned it was not the most attractive option but might need to be done. “Buying students” would mean giving good students more money to come to USC rather than another institution. Many elements can affect rankings, including admissions statistics and the rate of students who pass the bar. Pratt also expressed concern about the faculty, saying he would like to hire ♦ additional staff, preferably professors with established careers. Hiring respected professors will also raise the prestige and rankings of the law school, Pratt said, but more money will be needed to attract them. You oner them money, Pratt said of hiring potential faculty members. “You offer them a chair that they don’t have at their school.” Pratt said he believes the new law building is the least of the school’s current worries. “It appears that that’s at least on track to get started sometime soon,” Pratt said. “I think the real need for money is primarily for student scholarships and financial aid.” Jack Pratt is a law professor at the University of Notre Dame, where he has been a faculty member since 1986. Pratt said he is not completely certain he will accept the position if chosen. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@givm.sc.edu