Unlike the protest on Sunday that turned into a riot in which the building housing the Danish consulate was torched, there were no signs of violence in the march in Beirut's southern suburb, a stronghold of the Hezbollah organization.

"At your service, oh Mohammad, at your service, oh Prophet of God," the crowds chanted with fists raised. "Death to America, Death to Israel," they also shouted.

"No dignity to a nation whose prophet is insulted," a placard read; "What comes after insulting sacred values?" another asked.

Turnout, put by security sources at over 250,000, was high despite wind and rain. The march is an annual event to mark al- Ashura when Shiite Moslems mourn the death of the Prophet's grandson, Imam Hussein, in Kerbala in Iraq 1,300 ago.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah insisted on an apology over the cartoons...
"There will be no compromise before we receive an apology," Hassan Nasrallah told the crowds .

Apology by the Danish Newspaper

Meanwhile according to Bahrain News agency the Danish newspaper which published offensive cartoons of Prophet Mohammed, made an apology for the publication to Moslems worldwide.

The apology was conveyed through a message, given by the Danish embassy in Algiers to two Algerian newspapers which published it today. The message which was written in Arabic and published by Algerian newspapers, printed in French, 'La Tribune' and 'Le Quotidiend'Oran', apologized for the misunderstanding which arose from the publication of the cartoons of Prophet Mohammed and fueled feelings of hostility and animosity against Denmark. The apology said that those who were involved in the publication of the cartoons had never conceived of Moslems' hypersensitivity regarding the issue nor envisaged the degree of offence they might cause to millions of Moslems. The message added that the cartoons didn't mean to insult Prophet Mohammed but were an introduction to a dialogue on freedom of speech of which we boast in Denmark.

Since the Moslem world was demanding this apology...it is hopeful that this will calm the situation and the riots will come to an end...

The Palestinian group Hamas joined voices for calm on Thursday ...

Hamas "is prepared to play a role in calming the situation between the Islamic world and Western countries on condition that these countries commit themselves to putting an end to attacks against the feelings of Moslems", the organization's leader Khaled Meshaal told a news conference.

His conciliatory tone came a day after he warned the Western press was "playing with fire" by publishing the cartoons which have led to riots around the world...

Also in Denmark, nearly 3 000 Danes had by Thursday afternoon signed an open letter calling for "peace with the Muslim world".

In Paris close to 100 Arab and European academics, political and religious figures also issued a joint appeal for "moderation and wisdom" in the row.

In Jakarta, Indonesia... the largest Islamic country, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, speaking in his capacity as chairman of Golkar Party, has called on Indonesian Moslems to forgive Denmark for its publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

"Protests have been made and Denmark has also apologized. As good Moslems we must be able to forgive," he was quoted as saying Thursday by state news agency Antara.

He was speaking at an Islamic New Year commemoration and the inauguration of the executive board of Golkar’s new Islamic youth wing - the Islamic Propagation Council Youth Force (Angkatan Muda Majelis Dakwah Islamiyah - AMMDI) at Golkar headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta.

Kalla said it was appropriate for Moslems angered by the cartoons to protest, but anarchic and violent actions were inappropriate. "We are indeed very angry but according to teachings God is full of forgiveness and therefore we, as good Moslems, must also be able to forgive."
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Angry Moslems have demonstrated around the world over the cartoons, first published in Denmark, then Norway and several other countries in Europe and elsewhere.

The caricatures, including one showing the Prophet Mohammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban, have unleashed fury among many Moslems who consider any portrayal of their Prophet as blasphemous, let alone one showing him as a terrorist.

Protesters burnt the Danish and Norwegian missions in Damascus on Saturday. Protesters torched the Danish consulate in Beirut a day later and vandalized a church and property in a Christian neighborhood.

Lebanon has charged 203 people (Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians), with taking part in the riots and promised swift trials.

Al-Ashura is the 10th day of the lunar month of Muharram, when Imam Hussein was killed in AD 680 in a battle with the army of Caliph Yazid

Sources: Ya Libnan, Reuters, BNA, Antara