Geelani under house arrest over prayer plan

Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has planned to lead prayers for the last rites for slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Srinagar on Friday, but on Thursday morning, his uptown Hyderpora house was cordoned off and the police restricted his movements.

Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has planned to lead prayers for the last rites for slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Srinagar on Friday, but on Thursday morning, his uptown Hyderpora house was cordoned off and the police restricted his movements.

There were apprehensions that he might hold a pro-Laden procession. Geelani has been the only leader in Kashmir to publicly call bin Laden a "martyr", but he had also added the 9/11 attack were "an act of terrorism". In a statement issued from his home, Geelani said: "All religious figures, heads and people are appealed to perform Nimaz Jinazah (last rites) in absentia after Friday prayers for the martyr (Laden)."

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