Lahoud , ya rait khreet, wala hkeet

Lahoud Warns of 'Catastrophe' by Grenade into Post-Hariri ProtestPresident Lahoud has warned of a catastrophe if protests continue by loyalists and opponents in Lebanon in the aftermath of ex-Premier's Hariri's assassination."If they want to continue demonstrating from one square to another, a hand grenade or a little firecracker tossed at the crowds by a potential saboteur will generate a catastrophe of tragic dimensions," Lahoud said. "We are not in Georgia and nor are we in Ukraine. We have lived through 17 years of war and this could happen again ... But we will not let it happen," the president said in a meeting with Lebanon's Association of Journalists Saturday. His remarks grabbed the headlines if the Beirut press Sunday.Hariri's parliament members have rejected Lahoud's warning, insisting on staging a massive sit-in at Hariri's graveside in downtown Beirut's Martyrs Square on Monday. "If the protests continue here and there, that will be enough for whoever committed the assassination to throw a grenade. What will become of our children?" warned Lahoud. Lahoud also criticized the opposition for refusing to take part in a national unity government under Premier-Designate Omar Karami, charging it had "judged dialogue useless because it found support from abroad, particularly from France and the United States." He promised to find the truth about the murder of Hariri, saying this was a priority for the state. "The person who carried this out wanted to start an insurrection. If he is not found, he will start again. It is in the interest of the state to find him as quickly as possible since the crime was aimed at all of Lebanon." Responding to opposition calls to sack top security service officials and the prosecutor general, Lahoud said anyone found guilty of negligence would be punished but within the framework of institutions. The Syrian-backed Lahoud has long been a political foe of Hariri, who is credited with rebuilding Beirut from the ravages of the 1975-1990 civil war. However, the president denied rumors that he spent the day swimming when Hariri was murdered on Feb. 1."I swim daily. It's my sporting hobby. But on that specific day I did not swim," Lahoud said.(Naharnet-AFP)