Ominously recalling Iran in the months before the Ayatullah Khomeini's revolution, thousands of Muslim worshipers manifest their desire for an Islamic republic by walking to the Kouba mosque each Friday morning. The men flaunt their allegiance by wearing long cotton kamis and beards -- reputedly the dress of the Prophet Muhammad. The sheik whom they come to hear speaks of martyrdom and sedition.
"The Algerian people are Muslims," says the voice on the minaret's loudspeaker. "The police who prevent people from coming to prayers are not true Muslims." Security forces surrounding the mosque listen impassively as the message grows more strident....
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