"The rioters were instructed by the killers of Rafik Hariri to do what they've done," said the young Sunni leader.

Hariri was referring to Syria, which was widely blamed by the Lebanese for the Feb. 14 assassination of the ex-premier. Two interim reports issued by a U.N. commission investigating the murder have also implicated Syrian intelligence officers in the bombing that killed Hariri, the father, and 22 others. Syria denies any involvement, but the investigation is still underway.

On Sunday, a demonstration against the publishing of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed in European newspapers turned violent. Some protesters set fire to the building housing the Danish consulate in Ashrafiyeh, hurled stones at a nearby church in Gemmayzeh, and damaged property and vehicles.

Two days later, Acting Interior Minister Ahmed Fatfat said that authorities had arrested 416 suspects including 223 Lebanese, 138 Syrians, 47 Palestinians, 7 Bedouins and one Sudanese.

Fatfat said the large number of foreign nationals proved that there were political motives behind the attacks that took on a sectarian nature. Security sources were quoted in the Lebanese media as saying that many of the detainees belonged to radical Sunni Islamist groups.

Hariri condemned the riots, saying that his father had always opposed radicalism. His comments were aired on Future TV as part of a campaign organized by the Hariri-owned television station in solidarity with the Ashrafiyeh residents, who were terrified by the riots.

Hariri described the campaign as an expression of solidarity among the Lebanese to face what he called "the attack on inter-communal peace."

He said the campaign was a message to the Ashrafiyeh residents as well as to those who carried out the violent acts that the Lebanese would not abandon their unity no matter what.

The leader of the Future Movement said the timing of the riots came days before the first anniversary of his father's assassination to undermine national unity among various sects.

"They (rioters) wanted to distort the civilized image that we gave to our country and its people on March 14," he said about the historic massive demonstration that demanded Syria to pull out its troops from Lebanon.

He urged the youth to gather in large numbers on Feb. 14 to mark the anniversary of Hariri's assassination and to pay tribute to the other martyrs who fell on the road of freedom.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea praised the Ashrafiyeh residents for exercising self-restraint during the riots, saying they have saved the country from a civil strife.

However, he criticized what he referred to as serious shortcomings by the authorities who failed to control the riots.

"We should be very patient to be able to establish a strong and capable state," Geagea said in an interview with Future TV.

Warning of a possible coup by Syria's allies

According to al Mustaqbal newspaper, Syria's allies in Lebanon are attempting to reinstate its dominance over the country by reversing the goals achieved by the anti-Syria coalition since the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.

The newspaper said Thursday that Wiam Wahab, a former minister and staunch Syrian ally, warned of a "coup" over the next few months that would bring the fall of the parliamentary majority and restore relations between Lebanon and Syria to their former state.

The paper said the statement was aired on Syrian television. Wahab headed the environment ministry in Omar Karami's cabinet that was in power when Hariri was assassinated last year on Feb 14.

After the assassination, that was blamed on Syria, Damascus withdrew its troops from Lebanon after 30 years of occupation. In the elections of last June, the anti-Syria coalition established a majority in the parliament in the first parliamentary elections held free of Syrian interference.

Source: Naharnet, Ya Libnan