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Following are excerpts from reports on the torching of European embassies, consulates and of churches in Syria and Lebanon, aired on Al-Jazeera TV on February 4, 2006 and on New TV on February 5, 2006.
Al-Jazeera TV, February 4, 2006, Norweigan embassy in Damascus Crowd: There is no God other than Allah.
There is no God other than Allah.
Rioter Light it up here...
Crowd: Our soul and our blood we will sacrifice for you, oh Muhammad.
Our soul and our blood we will sacrifice for you, oh Prophet.
Our soul and our blood we will sacrifice for you, oh Prophet.
Our soul and our blood we will sacrifice for you, oh Prophet.
[...]
Scenes of rioting outside Danish embassy in Damascus
New TV, February 5, 2006, Danish consulate in Beirut
Head of Political Bureau of Al-Jama'a Al-Islamiya As'ad Harmoush: I would like to make it clear that tens of thousands have come from all over Lebanon to protest in a civilized and progressive manner.
[...]
We cannot only focus on a few people - no more than a few dozen – who have caused damage, and ignore the dignified display by dozens of thousands, who, along with the religious scholars and Islamic activists, wanted to present a civilized protest against Denmark.
[...]
Reporter: From a peaceful demonstration under the slogan of "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger," this march of the National Campaign for Defense of the Prophet Muhammad turned into a bloody Intifada between the Lebanese security forces and the demonstrators, who crossed the line, both in terms of religion and security. The security forces' siege around the Danish consulate in Beirut did not prevent the demonstrators from breaking into it, and setting fire to offices belonging to economic, commercial, and civil companies.
[...]
The demonstrators attacked Christian holy places, and especially the St. Nicholas and St. Maroun churches, and even the building of the Orthodox patriarch in Al-Asharfiya.
Father Elias Al-Faghali: I condemn everything that happened (in Europe). But what happened did not begin with the St. Maroun church, so why do they attack it? This attack is barbaric. I did not know there were still such barbaric people in Lebanon.
Reporter: What happened, Father?
Father Elias Al-Faghali: They broke the windows, they prevented us from praying. They shattered all the cars outside.
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Sheikh Salah Al-Din: We condemn and express our deep sorrow and deep pain and our anger at what has happened. We said we would present a civilized display in defense of the Prophet.
[...]
Reporter: How do you explain what happened today?
Sheikh Salah Al-Din: We were told that conspirators would come to foil our plan, to prove that the Muslims are barbaric riffraff. I said to the people: Brothers, this is not right. They said to me: You're an infidel. They beat me with sticks.
Reporter: Who beat you?
Sheikh Salah Al-Din: These people who come only to destroy.