Foe of Malaysia Leader Arrested After Protest

This Southeast Asian nation braced for a crackdown on supporters of former Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim today after he was arrested as the head of a movement calling for an end to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s rule.

Riot police broke down the front door of Anwar’s suburban home late Sunday and took him in a heavily guarded van to police headquarters.

Later, several police officers entered Anwar’s house while about 100 of their colleagues in riot gear stood by outside on the street. It was not clear whether the police were seeking to search the house or planned to arrest Anwar’s wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Anwar’s arrest came 2 1/2 weeks after Mahathir dismissed him from the Cabinet and on the eve of the final day of the 16th Commonwealth Games, to be closed by Britain’s visiting Queen Elizabeth II today.

At the request of the British Embassy, police posted extra guards around the mansion where the monarch was staying.

Anwar, 51, was detained hours after he had led 30,000 chanting protesters through the streets of Kuala Lumpur, the capital, in an unprecedented display of public opposition to Mahathir’s 17-year rule.

Mahathir, currently supported by a large majority in Parliament, has ruled with a strong hand. But a regional economic crisis helped to drive a wedge between the prime minister, 72, and his former deputy and heir apparent.

Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Kamaruddin Ali told reporters that Anwar would be indicted today on a series of charges including breach of peace, illegal assembly and vandalism.

Anwar’s lawyer said his client would be charged with gross indecency. On Saturday, Anwar’s adopted brother and a former speech writer both pleaded guilty to having sex with him, a crime in this conservative Muslim country. Both men were sentenced to six months in prison on sodomy charges.

Anwar denied the charge and said he had been framed by opponents out to end his political ambitions.