Saad, Lebanon's parliamentary majority leader, arrived in Beirut Last night amongst heavy security. He returned three days before Lebanon marks the first anniversary of the assassination of his father.

Hariri left Lebanon in late July and weeks later said a plot to kill him had been uncovered. He spent most of his time in France and in Saudi Arabia, meeting the leaders of both countries and visited several other countries.

Last month Hariri visited the USA and held talks with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington and several other US officials.

Saad was criticized for leaving Lebanon during such a critical period. At the same time the same critics felt that it is not safe for him to be in Lebanon. Gibran Tueni who also was in self exile in Paris, was assassinated immediately the day after he returned.

Saad Hariri, who runs his billionaire father's business empire, was elected an MP at the head of an anti-Damascus coalition that won elections in May-June last year. His coalition has 72 out of the 128 seat parliament.

In a press conference at his family mansion in Beirut, Hariri asked his countrymen to gather at Martyrs' Square in central Beirut on Feb. 14 to pay tribute to slain PM Rafik Hariri and to consolidate national unity among Muslims and Christians.

"On Feb. 14, the Lebanese will go back to Martyrs' Square and we will renew our faith in Lebanon's unity," said Hariri. "Taking part in this day is a national duty."

Referring to Syrian officials without mentioning them, Hariri said: "They thought that their intelligence and security apparatuses can re-emerge strongly, but we will tell them at Martyrs' Square that we will not allow their return.

His father, Rafik Hariri, was assassinated in a huge truck bombing a year ago that killed 22 others. A month later the Cedar Revolution was born and over one million Lebanese, waving the Lebanese flag, protested the assassination and called on Syria to leave Lebanon. The massive demonstrations and intense international pressure finally prompted Syria to comply with U.N. Resolution 1559 and pull out its troops from Lebanon after occupying the country for nearly three decades.

A U.N. commission investigating Hariri's assassination has implicated top Syrian security officials in the killing. Syria has denied involvement.

But Lebanese politicians also accuse Syria of being behind a string of other bombings that targeted anti-Syrian figures and say the regime in Damascus has sent rogue elements to a demonstration last week to cause trouble and undermine stability.

"They thought that if they attack Ashrafiyeh (site of the cartoon protests) and damage its churches, they will strike a blow to the unity among Muslims and Christians," said Hariri about the riots last Sunday in Beirut's Christian neighborhood.

The demonstration against the publishing of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed in European publications turned violent when some protesters set fire to the building housing the Danish consulate, hurled stones at a nearby church and damaged property.

"I call on the Lebanese to stand together and prove that the March 14 groups will remain united," Hariri said.

Source: Ya Libnan, Naharnet, Agencies