Lawyers denounce bin Laden killing

Lawyers in Abbottabad and Peshawar denounce bin Laden killing, say prayers for their "hero".

ABBOTTABAD: Groups of lawyers on Wednesday held protests over the US killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, denouncing America and saying prayers for their "hero".

About 70 lawyers staged a rally in Abbottabad, condemning the US operation in their city, witnesses said.

They shouted "Go, America go," "Osama bin Laden is our hero" and chanted slogans against the US-allied and Pakistani government.

"We condemn terrorism but cannot accept any violation of our sovereignty," said Tahir Faraz Abbasi, president of the local bar association.

In Peshawar, where bin Laden once lived during the fight to evict Soviet troops from nearby Afghanistan, about 200 lawyers offered special prayers for the al Qaeda supremo at the courts.

"Osama was a Muslim hero. He had been waging jihad (holy war) for Muslims across the world," said prominent local lawyer Ghulam Nabi.

"I doubt Osama was in Abbottabad. Even if he were, he was our hero and he will remain our hero," he said.

Conspiracy theories, fanned by deep distrust of the United States, have raced like wildfire through Pakistani communities over bin Laden's killing.