As soon as Sheikh Nassar concluded his sermon with "peace be upon you," roars of "down with the pope, down with the Vatican," echoed from one end of the mosque to the other. Hundreds of protesters rushed outside with placards proclaiming that the Vatican’s war on Islam is an extension of Bush’s war on Islam. People chanted in unison: "Where are you Muslims? - the pope is waging a new Crusade against Islam."

Many Islamists, blocked by dozens of security personnel from spilling out on to the streets, went round-and-round the gate carrying a young man and chanting after him: "Oh [Egyptian president Hosni] Mubarak, where are you? Where are you? Muhammad’s religion is your religion too."