About 1,000 supporters had waited for Anwar to appear in court after his lightning arrest overnight. Riot police had stormed his house, following Anwar's rallies and speeches calling for reforms and the resignation of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Anwar, 51, was expected to appear before magistrates early Monday. He is facing charges of disturbing public harmony, holding illegal gatherings and vandalism, police said earlier.

But police chief Abdul Rahim Noor said the former finance minister was being held under the country's draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and would not be produced on Monday. Under the act, he can be held indefinitely without trial.

Six truck loads of riot police were outside the courthouse as supporters chanted slogans in favour of Anwar and called onMahathir to stand down.

Police, some armed with automatic rifles, asked the crowd to disperse but were ignored. After a warning, a water cannon truck opened fire. Police also let off tear gas.

Around 30 armed riot squad police moved up the road outside clearing the crowds, beating batons on their shields. Some Anwar supporters moved to a nearby park, many ran off. About 30 people were detained.

After a second warning, the water cannon truck was used again.

The disturbances erupted on the first day of Queen Elizabeth's state visit to Malaysia. The queen is to close the 70-nation Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur on Monday night.

Anwar's supporters, led by his wife Azizah have vowed to keep up his campaign for reforms, which has turned increasingly against his former mentor Mahathir since he was ousted as deputy prime minister and finance minister on September 2.

Police raided his wife's house for a second time early Monday and seized video tapes and religious materials. She said she was ``veryconcerned''.

``There is a lot of anger. For years, the law was manipulated and abused by those in power,'' she said. ``The masses are highly charged. I told them now we have to channel it into something productive.''

Police are investigating allegations ranging from treason to sexual misconduct. But his lawyers complained on Monday they had no access to the leader since his arrest.

The police raid came after Anwar returned from a rally at the National Mosque and an adjacent square -- opposite an Anglican church visited by Queen Elizabeth. The rally drew tens of thousands of people.

Lawyer Pawancheek Marican said police were accusing Anwar of sodomy -- apparently referring to two men sentenced to six month's jail after being found guilty of having sex with Anwar.

The two men, an adopted brother of Anwar and a Moslem intellectual from Pakistan, were detained last week in a series of arrests involving Anwar's acquaintances.

Anwar, who was also kicked out of the ruling United Malays Organisation(UNMO),has sought to defend himself in a nationwide tour attracting tens of thousands of supporters.

He has accused the government of a high-level conspiracy.

``We must have freedom and justice for all Malaysians. Malaysians have waited long enough. Enough is enough,'' he told Sunday's rally.

The 73-year-old Mahathir, who has been in office for 17 years said on Sunday, Anwar was ``a man in desperation who will make all kinds of accusations'' against him.

``In his desperation, he has to come out to make some proposals. He has been dismissed, he cannot dismiss me. It seems entirely logical to ask for my resignation,'' the prime minister said.

Four members of Islamic youth movement held

Malaysian police arrested four top members of the country's Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) on Monday, a senior official from the group said.

Yusri Mohamad, assistant secretary general of Abim, said the four were detained at the group's offices just before noon following the overnight arrest of ousted deputypremier Anwar Ibrahim, who founded Abim in the 1970's.

He identified those arrested as Abim President Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, deputy president Mukhtar Redhuan, secretary general Shaharuddin Badaruddin, and deputy national president Abdul Halim Ismail.

Yusri said the four were taken to the central police headquarters under the Internal Security Act, which provides for indefinite detention without trial.