During the rally at Nejmeh Square, about 200 protesters shouted Islamic slogans and waved black flags and banners, steps away from parliament which was in session.

One banner lamented that with parliamentary elections due next year, "sons of the Sunni faith are behind prison bars."

The protesters included the wives of some of the prisoners suspected of plotting or carrying out militant attacks. The women have been rallying for their husbands' release for weeks.

Lebanon holds in custody about 300 suspects on terrorism-related charges, including members of al-Qaida-inspired Fatah al-Islam group which fought the army at the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahar al-Bared last year.(AP-Naharnet)