Terrified shoppers and passers-by were pushed aside and jostled as baton-wielding police stormed the mall as they rounded up protest leaders, they added.

Chanting "destroy America, long live Islam", more than 1,000 people, including children, students and women, gathered outside the Petronas Towers, the world's tallest buildings, to protest against the US-led war in Iraq.

The gathering was called in defiance of a police ban on the demonstration.

Plans to march to the US embassy were thwarted when riot police blocked off the road with trucks. After then marching to the Australian high commission, police swung into action to break up the gathering, firing teargas and storming the crowd.

In the pandemonium, protesters sought refuge within the twin towers' shopping centre, but riot police armed with batons and shields chased them inside.

Mohamad Hatta Mohamad Ramli, an organiser of the protest, said that a dozen people were arrested, including Syed Husin Ali, leader of the opposition Malaysian People's Party.

"Yes, I have been detained with about 13 others," he told AFP from a police station via his mobile phone. "They have not told me the reasons. There is no need for this arrest."

Syed Husin criticised the firing of the teargas, describing it as "unjust and an act of violence".

"It is a peaceful gathering and the police have floundered our constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression," he said.

Ronnie Liu, opposition Democratic Action Party's publicity chief, who participated in the march, condemned the firing of the teargas.

"This is an abuse of power. Police know there were children in the crowd. Yet they fired," he said.

Meanwhile, at another anti-war protest, which was supported by the government and sanctioned by the police, some 5,000 people gathered to march marched on to Kuala Lumpur's Independence Square.

Many carried placards that read "Bush children killer", "Stop war", "Free Iraq" and "No oil for war". They also chanted "We want peace."

The protesters later dispersed without incident.

The government of this mainly-Muslim Southeast Asian nation, hailed by Washington for its support in the war against terrorism, has condemned the war against Iraq.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad led a peace rally on February 23 attended by some 200,000 people.

WAR.WIRE