Hizbullah Denies Security Breach as Fneish Says Blast Aims at Destabilizing Country
Hizbullah caretaker Minister of State for Administrative Reform Mohammad Fneish considered on Wednesday that the blast that targeted Bir al-Abed neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs aims at destabilizing Lebanon's civil peace.
“The culprits aim at moving security violations from an area to another across Lebanon and to create sedition and a sectarian rift among Muslims in particular,” Fneish told al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Wednesday.
Sources close to the party told As Safir newspaper that the explosion is a “coward act” that targeted a residential area, ruling out reports that it's a security breach to Hizbullah.
At least 53 people were wounded in the explosion that was caused by a booby-trapped vehicle in the Hizbullah Stronghold neighborhood.
“The attack didn't target any (Hizbullah) figure or center for the party,” the sources said, pointing out that the party boosted security near the houses of its leadership and its headquarters.
“It's normal that cars park at a parking lot,” the sources said.
Informed security sources told As Safir that preliminary reports are based on the footage taken by nearby security cameras.
A security source also told the daily that a western security apparatus informed Lebanese security agencies days before the blast that an extremist group is plotting to carry out a bombing in Beirut's southern suburbs.
Hizbullah sources told As Safir that the ongoing provocation against Hizbullah and its arms paved the way for such acts.
The sources noted that Takfiri groups might be responsible for the the blast over Hizbullah's involvement in the battles in the neighboring country Syria.
Officially neutral in Syria's conflict, Lebanon is deeply divided into pro- and anti-Assad camps.
Hizbullah and its allies back President Bashar Assad, who adheres to the Alawite offshoot of Shiite Islam, while the Sunni-led opposition supports rebels seeking his ouster.
For his part, Fneish praised in comments in al-Joumhouria the March 14 alliance's swift condemnation for the attack.
He described the coalition's stance as importance, calling on the March 14 officials to reconsider their rhetoric.
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