BANGKOK -- Southern Thailand's large Muslim minority held special prayers yesterday in a show of support for ousted Malaysian deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Muslim leaders said.

Worshippers at hundreds of mosques around Muslim-dominated Yala province, which borders Malaysia, were asked to pray for Datuk Anwar, whose shock sacking and arrest have sparked

street demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur.

The special prayers for peace, justice and understanding, were held shortly after Friday prayers in almost every mosque in Yala, and some in other provinces.

"Thousands of people attended the 15-minute special prayers," Young Muslim Association of Thailand deputy chairman Wisit Tada-in said yesterday.

He said the youth association was also drafting an open letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad to condemn the arrests of Datuk Anwar and supporters of his reform movement.

"We believe that all of the detainees were victims of false charges, as the authorities have failed to produce any evidence," he said.

He said a letter of sympathy would be sent to Datuk Anwar's wife, Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who has taken over the reform movement despite being banned from speaking at rallies and threatened with sedition charges.

Datuk Anwar, who has not been seen since his arrest on Sunday, used to be an Islamic youth leader and is known to have close ties with Thailand's young Muslim movement, especially in Yala province.

He says the charges against him, including allegations of sexual misconduct, are part of a conspiracy orchestrated by Dr Mahathir. -- AFP