The flow of Syrians flocking to Lebanon to escape their country’s unrest increased in light of Wednesday’s Damascus bombing that claimed the lives of three top security officials, reported the Central News Agency on Thursday.

Security sources told the news agency that the new wave of refugees includes several Lebanese students who were studying at the University of Damascus.

Beirut Examining Magistrate Ghassan Owaidat recommended on Thursday the death penalty for 88 individuals who were involved in the 2007 Nahr al-Bared clashes with the Lebanese army.

The suspects were accused in the 447-page indictment of murder and attempted killing and of targeting state security by funding and carrying out terrorist acts.

Dar al-Fatwa accused Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on Thursday of killing Sunni Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahed twice by claiming he was carrying liquor bottles in his car when he was shot at an army checkpoint in the northern district of Akkar in May.

“Aoun should apologize for publicly insulting Muslims and Ulemas in particular,” Dar al-Fatwa said in a statement.

Speaker Nabih Berri slammed on Thursday the “terrorist” bombing that targeted top Syrian security officials on Wednesday, saying that Syria will overcome its crisis and achieve peace.

He said in a statement: “The terrorist act is no doubt aimed at targeting the Syrian leadership in order to fragment the Syrian army, which acts as a guarantee for the country’s unity.”

Bulgarian investigators worked with the FBI and Interpol Thursday to identify the suicide attacker behind a deadly bombing on a bus carrying Israeli tourists, as Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack "was perpetrated by Hizbullah" and Iran denied involvement.

The attack "was perpetrated by Hizbullah, Iran's leading terrorist proxy," said Netanyahu, describing the Lebanese group as "the long arm of Iran."

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi denied on Thursday that he and Prime Minister Najib Miqati were behind the decision to re-detain the three officers and 5 soldiers, who were held in connection with the killing of Sunni Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahed and his companion Mohammed Merheb.

“We didn’t formulate a plan that allows the re-arrest of officers nor we proposed that before the cabinet during its previous session on Monday,” Qortbawi told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

The cabinet that convened at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday witnessed a heated debate between Free Patriotic Movement and AMAL ministers over the full-time employment of Electricite du Liban’s contract workers.

According to local newspapers published on Thursday, FPM Energy Minister Jebran Bassil engaged in a sharp spat with AMAL Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil after Bassil urged Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to evacuate the employees from EDL’s headquarters by force.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati hinted that he would resign if the situation in the country and the cabinet’s lack of productivity in all fields continues, As Safir newspaper reported on Thursday.

Miqati criticized the situation in Lebanon during the cabinet session that was held at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday, noting that the cabinet’s immobilization is not acceptable anymore.

Israel expressed concern on Thursday that Hizbullah might attempt to transfer advanced weapons systems or chemical weapons from Syrian to Lebanon if the regime of President Bashar Assad collapsed.

"We are vigilantly watching the developments and the possibility that Hizbullah might attempt to transfer advanced weapons systems or chemical weapons from Syria to Lebanon,” Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a statement issued by his office.

Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday stressed that Syria is a “real military supporter of the Resistance,” extending condolences over the death of three top Syrian officials in a blast that rocked the headquarters of National Security in Damascus.

The bombing killed Defense Minister General Daoud Rajha, Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat and General Hassan Turkmani, head of the regime's crisis cell on the uprising, state media said.