Special Tribunal for Lebanon spokesman Marten Youssef stressed on Thursday that the publishing of an alleged list of witnesses in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's murder case aimed to intimidate the witnesses.

“The publishing of the names of people who are allegedly witnesses in the court is an attempt to intimidate the witnesses,” Youssef told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour shied away on Thursday from revealing the details of a letter he sent to the Syrian embassy in Beirut, saying it was part of daily messages exchanged between Lebanon and Syria.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper, Mansour said the letter delivered to the Syrian mission on Monday was part of the “daily routine process” on political, economic and security issues.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed concern on Thursday over reports saying that Hizbullah fighters are deeply involved in battles on Syrian territories.

Geagea wondered if Hizbullah is seeking to make the Syrian crisis slip into Lebanon and inflict further division between the Lebanese.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam hoped on Thursday he would be able to meet the expectations of all the Lebanese after completing two days of consultations with lawmakers on the formation of the new government.

Salam made the terse statement after visiting President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace to brief him on the results of the consultations he concluded on Wednesday and which proved that his task in forming the new cabinet will be difficult.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat criticized al-Mustaqbal bloc for taking part in drafting a law that was approved by parliament on Wednesday to suspend deadlines applicable under the 1960 electoral law until May 19.

“Those who have such allies don't need any foes,” Jumblat told As Safir newspaper in remarks published Thursday.

Syrian military helicopters fired five missiles on Wednesday evening on the Lebanese region of al-Ajram near the Bekaa's border town of Arsal, the state-run National News Agency said.

LBCI television elaborated: “Syrian helicopters bombed the areas of Wadi Hmeid and al-Ajram near Arsal inside Lebanese territory."

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Wednesday held talks with former prime minister Saad Hariri in the French capital Paris.

Earlier in the day, al-Rahi said the presence of Christians in the Middle East “protects Islam from bigotry and extremism,” during a lecture at the Catholic institute in Paris.

A quantity of military communication devices were seized on Wednesday at the Port of Beirut, media reports said.

“Customs authorities at the Port of Beirut seized a container containing advanced communication devices destined for the armed groups in Syria,” al-Manar television reported, without elaborating.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam stated on Wednesday that he might resign if the parliament's term was extended.

Tammam's decision comes shortly after the parliament referred a draft law to President Michel Suleiman that calls for suspending the deadline for submitting nominations for the parliamentary elections.

The March 14 General Secretariat hoped on Wednesday that Premier-designate Tammam Salam would succeed in a forming a government of “national reconciliation.”

It demanded that all parties “cooperate honestly with him and refrain from setting obstacles that only serve factional interests at the expense of national ones.”