Protesters end their occupation of cathedral

SAN SALVADOR - Masked protesters who had occupied the San Salvador Cathedral for about 24 hours left the building Thursday afternoon, shortly after meeting with a top church official.

Gregorio Rosa, a San Salvador deputy bishop, and human rights ombudsman Beatrice de Carrillo entered the building to negotiate with the protesters, who were demanding that President-elect Tony Saca withdraw Salvadoran troops from Iraq.

The assailants also urged the government to rehire 150 fired employees.

Police officers who had surrounded the building backed off after the pair re-emerged, and the protesters threw open the main doors and walked out a short time later. No arrests were made.

''As an act of good faith and love for our country's brave public, we have decided to leave these sacred premises peacefully,'' said one of the protesters, who wore a green shirt, glasses and a black ski mask.

About 50 people wearing masks stormed the church Wednesday, kicking out visitors and touching off a violent clash between police and another group of protesters outside the building.

Protesters outside burned a vehicle belonging to a television station, a city bus and several phone booths and forced police in riot gear to use tear gas to restore order.

Authorities said they arrested 36 people Wednesday, including a union leader, and about 25 other people were injured.

Interior Minister René Figueroa called the storming of the church an act of terrorism and accused the main opposition party of provoking instability in advance labor celebrations on May 1.

''This could be a destabilizing strategy, something they want to maintain until May 1,'' Figueroa said in a television interview.

Saca, who takes office June 1, has said he will leave more than 350 Salvadoran soldiers in Iraq until August, despite the early departures of the Spanish troops under which they were serving.