Protests spread, Obama warns

The Taliban claimed responsibility on Saturday for an attack on a sprawling British base in southern Afghanistan that killed two US Marines and wounded several other troops, saying it was to avenge the anti-Islamic film that insulted the Prophet Muhammad and also because Britain's Prince Harry is serving there.

The US-led NATO coalition said in a statement that the overnight attack focussed on Camp Bastion, a huge British base adjacent to Camp Leatherneck which houses US Marine operations in Helmand province.

"We attacked that base because Prince Harry was also on it and so they can know our anger," said Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a spokesman for the Taliban. "Thousands of suicide attackers are ready to give up their lives for the sake of the Prophet," Ahmadi said.

Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne, is based at Camp Bastion. A spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defence said Prince Harry was unharmed in the attack. The military said there were no plans of ending his tour.

Meanwhile, protests against the anti-Islam film further spread as riot police in Australia clashed with about 200 protesters at the US Consulate in Sydney on Saturday.

A total of six police officers and two protesters were injured while eight people were arrested on charges of assaulting police.

Prime Minister Julian Gillard said the protest was unacceptable. "Violent protest is never acceptable — not today, not ever," she said in a statement.

In France, a few dozen people protested in front of the US embassy in Paris before police broke up the demonstration.

A police official said the protest was not registered and at least 80 protesters were taken away for identity checks.

In Maldives and Indonesia, hundreds of men and women joined the wave of protests.

Most cities around the Muslim world reported calm on Saturday even as Egyptian police cleared out protesters who have been clashing with security forces near the US Embassy.

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