Gaza demonstrators condemn death of bin Laden

[May 03, 2011]  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Some two dozen Palestinians gathered in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday to pay tribute to slain al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

About 25 people holding pictures and posters of bin Laden rallied outside a Gaza City university. The crowd included al-Qaida sympathizers as well as students who said they opposed bin Laden's ideology, but were angry at the U.S. for killing him and consider him a martyr.

Hamas police did not interfere in the demonstration.

On Monday, Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister of Gaza's Hamas government, condemned the U.S. operation against bin Laden, whom he hailed as a "Muslim and Arab warrior."

Still, the Islamic Hamas has always distanced itself from al-Qaida's militant Islamic ideology, saying its battle is against Israel, not the West.

Bin Laden's killing in Pakistan on Monday has touched off expectations of revenge attacks.

In Israel, police said they beefed up security around sensitive sites, including the airport, the U.S. Embassy, the U.S. consulate and areas where U.S. officials live.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld characterized the reinforcements as precautionary.

[Associated Press]

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