Continued controversy in Lebanon over solution to the political crisis

Political controversy continued in Lebanon on Friday over the form and nature of the next government between parties and blocs which stand in support of the government and the opposition alike.

In a statement issued by the Presidential palace, the Lebanese President Emil Lahoud excluded the condition, placed by the opposition, of resigning or quitting the heads of the security department for the sake of forming a new government.

On the other hand, the Shiite clergy in Lebanon Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah warned that Lebanon is facing the possibility of government vacuum and political disorder and security violation. He called in his Friday sermon on all Lebanese to resort to reason instead of reaction..

On the other hand, a well-informed judicial source involved in the investigation of the assassination of Rafic Hariri said that it is almost evident that the former Lebanese prime minister was killed in a booby trapped car explosion. The source explained that results of the explosion will be announced next week. He said that the investigators got the evidence from a surveillance camera in a nearby bank which had filmed parts of the incident.