31.   The Brotherhood condemned the arrests, but those familiar with the group say that its leaders too had tried to squelch the Wasat as a threat to their power.

32.   The arrest was condemned by Amnesty International, which says seven other Shiite clerics also are in detention, none of whom has been charged with a crime.

33.   The army defended its actions while Maronite Catholic Church and influential Druse politician Walid Jumblatt condemned the arrests.

34.   The Awami League, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has condemned the arrest of people without charge.

35.   The Cairo-based Center for Human Rights Legal Aid condemned the arrests and called on the authorities to immediately release the three students.

36.   The governments of Britain, France, West Germany and Japan have also condemned the arrests, as have human rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Asia.

37.   The Hurriyat, in a statement, condemned the arrests.

38.   The Lebanese Bar Association also condemned the arrests.

39.   The media watchdog group condemned the arrest and said the two reporters had been within their rights to publicize the court case.

40.   The opposition condemned the arrests and called for street protests.