Bahrain: symbol of revolt destroyed

Bahrain's army yesteday demolished the 300ft monument that had become a symbol of the Shiite uprising against the Saudi-backed Sunni monarchy.

The destruction of the six white curved beams topped by a huge cement pearl underlined the resolve of the regime to root out any dissent in the kingdom, now under emergency rule. At least 12 people have been killed in the revolt.

Foreign minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said the army brought down the monument because "it was a bad memory".

Shiite anger rose around the Middle East yesterday, as crowds in Iran and Iraq cursed Bahrain's Sunni monarchy. Amateur video footage of security forces shooting and beating protesters fueled fury in predominantly Shiite Iraq and in Iran, where senior cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati yesterday urged Bahraini protesters to keep going until victory or death.