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Extremists among Muslim rioters at Sydney protest

Al-Qaeda sympathisers were among those involved in violent weekend protests in Sydney, which saw Muslim men engage in a series of clashes with security forces.

Several of the hundreds of protesters who marched on the city's US consulate were carrying the black flags adopted by the proscribed terror organisation and its splinter groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq. Many others wore headbands which said: "We are your soldiers, O Mohammed."

Muslim leaders denounced the violence yesterday, saying the protest had been "hijacked" by a group which called itself the "Sixth Pillar".

One of the six men arrested on Saturday, 29-year-old champion boxer Ahmed Elomar, appeared in court yesterday wearing a T-shirt with the words "Sixth Pillar". Some sources suggested the group were associated with controversial Sydney sheik Feiz Mohammed.

The president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, Samier Dandan, said they were not part of any of the Australia's established Islamic organisations. He said, "Where and how they operate we still don't know."

Six people have been charged in relation to the violence, in which four people were hospitalized, while police have created a strike force to analyze footage of the demonstration in order to track down others involved.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said, "This is a no-nonsense engagement. If you want to act like you are extremist criminals, we will treat you like you're extremist criminals. I can guarantee those extremists who caused these problems, they will be joining those already charged. If you were sensible, you would come forward now and speak with police."

A second police operation will monitor the aftermath of the protest, including social media websites thought to have been used to orchestrate Saturday's violence.

There are fears a second peaceful protest against the video planned for next weekend could be disrupted.

Julia Gillard yesterday called the video "truly repulsive".

"(But) there is never any excuse for violent behavior. To anybody who wants to replicate that behavior today, I just want to say very strongly that this kind of conduct has no place on the streets of our country," the Prime Minister said.

Tony Abbott said the protests were not "an acceptable face of Islam ... Newcomers to this country are not expected to surrender their heritage, but they are expected to surrender up their hatreds".

He added, "I think all Australians need to give a very strong message ... violent protest is never acceptable in a country such as ours."

Keysar Trad, founder of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, was appalled to see children at the protest holding up signs that read "Behead all those who insult the prophet".

He said, "Our prophet would be sitting in heaven wondering are those really my followers?"