"May Allah (God) punish the invaders who have so far killed many civilians, mostly innocent children, women and the elderly," Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda, a Muslim cleric told the estimated 5,000 faithful.

He said US and British forces were against Islamic nations and wanted to control the world oil indistry.

"We must condemn them in the strongest possibled terms," Ponda said in a speech to the crowd gathered at Mnazi Mmoja grounds in the centre of Tanzania's commercial capital.

Ponda urged young Muslims of Tanzania who are willing and financially capable to go to Iraq and fight alongside their "brethren" there.

He urged Muslisms to boycott products manufactured by such US firms as Coca-Cola and Pepsico.

"Stop drinking Coca-Cola and Pepsi ... those are American things. You must protest these barbaric acts of (George W.) Bush and (Britain's Prime Minister Tonny) Blair, who are pounding Iraq without the approval of the United Nations," Ponda exhorted the crowd.

Ponda, who was introduced as the chairman of the committee for the promotion of Muslim welfare in Tanzania, invited the crowd to stone Bush's portrait before dispersing.

He said Muslims will next Friday march to the US embassy to show their disapproval of the military action against Iraq.

SPACE.WIRE