Democratic delegates drowned out the former defense secretary Leon Panettawith a chant of "no more war" on Wednesday night, prompting convention organisers to turn the lights out in their section of the Wells Fargo arena and the protesters to light it themselves using cellphones.

The former CIA director was on stage to show his support for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. "In this election, there is only one candidate for president who has the experience, temperament and judgment to be commander-in-chief, and that is Hillary Clinton," he said.

Panetta credited Clinton with supporting the decision to go after Osama bin Laden – "Hillary was clear: we have to go after Bin Laden" – and said she was determined to defeat "Isis, al-Qaida, Boko Haram, al-Shabaab, terrorists who pervert the teachings of Islam to kill innocent people."