The Military Prosecutor charged on Thursday several supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir with belonging to a terrorist group and attempting to kill Lebanese soldiers, the National News Agency reported.

The other charges issued by Judge Saqr Saqr against the detainees were gun possession and involvement in terrorist attacks.

Marada movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh vowed on Thursday not to extend President Michel Suleiman's term and said he was a candidate for the presidency along with Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun.

In remarks to al-Manar TV, Franjieh said: “I will not back the extension of President Michel Suleiman's mandate no matter what my allies did.”

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem warned on Thursday the formation of a cabinet other than all-embracing national political government, saying that "all options are open.”

Qassem speaking to Hizbullah's al-Manar channel lashed out at proposals to form a neutral or de-facto cabinets, pointing out that these kind of governments would spread “chaos, danger and complications.”

Al-Mustaqbal bloc lawmakers reiterated on Thursday their demand for the formation of a neutral government, accusing Hizbullah of causing the vacuum in Lebanon's state institutions.

In remarks to local radio and TV stations, the MPs said President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam should form a government made up of non political figures.

Caretaker Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas warned on Thursday that the political crisis in the country will have an impact on the economy if it worsened and the country entered vacuum in state posts.

“The red line is the hypothesis that the division would increase among the Lebanese,” Nahhas said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).

President Michel Suleiman would be abiding by the Constitution if he formed a neutral cabinet along with Premier-designate Tammam Salam, political sources said.

The sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat published on Thursday that the Constitution does not state the representation of certain political parties in the government.

Abdullah Qassir, the director general of Hizbullah's al-Manar television, has submitted his resignation, media reports said on Wednesday, in the wake of the latest controversy over the TV network's “apology” to Bahrain.

“Qassir left for Iran after his resignation was accepted,” As Safir newspaper said in a terse report on its website.

Four Lebanese young men and a Syrian national were injured Wednesday in a deliberate hit-and-run attack in the Northern Metn neighborhood of Sin el-Fil.

“Syrian national Ahmed al-Ahmed deliberately hit four Lebanese men, including two soldiers, with his Renault-12 car in the Maqtaa al-Sekkeh area in Sin el-Fil,” state-run National News Agency reported.

U.S. federal authorities have arrested a Virginia-based businessman for allegedly trying to ship dozens of weapons and high-tech devices to Lebanon, according to the U.S. network ABC News.

Sam Rafic Ghanem, owner of an international shipping company with offices in the Washington suburbs, was arrested Saturday after an FBI sting, ABC News said.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Wednesday that talks are ongoing to end the current deadlock in the country, considering that the 6-9-9 cabinet formula would paralyze the country if adopted.

“Our stance concerning the government formation is clear,” Gaegea told reporters at Bkirki after hold a behind-closed doors meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to offer his congratulations on the occasion of Christmas.