Lebanese minister of interior resigns over rioters burning of the Danish embassy
Lebanon-Denmark, Politics, 2/6/2006

The Lebanese minister of the Interior Hassan al-Sabaa resigned from his post, while the Lebanese authorities started large scale acts of detention covered scores of Syrians and Palestinians.

This was after the burning of the headquarters of the Danish consulate in Beirut on the background of the increasing anger over the blasphemous picture for Prophet Muhammad, that were printed by several European papers.

A Lebanese security source said that the acts of detention targeted "persons involved in acts of riot against citizens property, foreign interests and worshiping places."

The Lebanese government held an emergency meeting on Sunday evening after the expansion of the objection to the insulting of the prophet to Beirut, and the burning of the Danish consulate, less than 24 hours following similar attacks in Damascus resulted in burning the Danish and Norwegian embassies there.

The Lebanese prime minister Fouad Sinioura called for convening the meeting after 15 demonstrators came from various parts of Lebanon burnt the building of the Danish consulate in Beirut and cars for the Lebanese army during a demonstration converted into confrontations with the police which opened live bullets and tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

Sinioura deplored resorting to violence in acts of protests. he said what had happened had no connection to Islam, adding that "violating security and destruction gives an inappropriate image about Islam." However, the Lebanese republic Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Rshid Qabbani called for self control.

News reports in Beirut said that thousands of demonstrators broke into the Danish embassy after they were able to cross the security forces which tried to prevent them from approaching its headquarters in al-Ashrafeyah, east of the capital Beirut.

Previous Stories:
  New Zealand cartoon print angers traders, Muslim groups   (2/6/2006)
  Grand Mufti of Syria expresses regret over embassies incidents   (2/6/2006)
  Norway, Denmark advise citizens to leave Syria   (2/6/2006)
  Newspapers challenge Muslims over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed   (2/2/2006)
  Egypt urges more Danish steps on anti-Prophet cartoons   (1/31/2006)
  Berri; Moeller discuss latest developments   (4/15/2005)

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