Hariri warns against sectarianism in Lebanon

Lebanon's former Prime Minister Saad Hariri has expressed fears about attempts to fuel sectarian tensions in the country and urged the Lebanese authorities to take responsibility for a series of recent incidents which threaten to drag the country into a state of chaos. The former PM has claimed that the attacks on four Muslim sheikhs in Beirut on Sunday evening are aimed at fuelling sectarian tensions between people of the same country, and are carried out by regional powers who want to destabilise the Arab states. "The coincidence between the two attacks that targeted the sheikhs has led to controversy about the objectives of such actions. I think the security and judicial authorities should reveal the objectives in the national interest," Hariri said. "We do not want to interfere in the work of the judiciary, but the current situation is serious. There are regional powers that are working to destabilise Lebanon through fuelling the tensions between the Lebanese people, especially between the Sunnis and Shiites," he added. Hariri called on the Lebanese people to trust the state against those who are targeting national security. He said Lebanon must unite to confront the sedition that could threaten the stability of the country. The son of former Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri urged national political movements to work together for the betterment of Lebanon, because "a crime against Lebanon is a crime against its stability."