The daily Al-Mustaqbal said Assad's "terrorist plot" was part of a propaganda prepared by the Syrian president and his Foreign Minister Walid Moallem.

It said Assad authorized the terrorist group, which was part of Fatah-Uprising, the Syrian-backed faction which broke away from Yasser Arafat's mainstream Fatah group, to carry out the assassinations.

Al Mustaqbal said the Assad plot was revealed four days ago when two men, arrested on charges of killing two Palestinian activists in the Beddawi refugee camp in north Lebanon, acknowledged to the Lebanese Intelligence Service that they belonged to Fatah-Uprising, which is led by Abou Moussa.

The arrested men said the Syrian intelligence has asked them to coordinate with the faction's second-in-command, Abou Khaled al-Emleh.

It identified the men as Syrian Hussam Mohammed Siyam and Mohammed Saleh, a Saudi, adding that they hold legitimate Syrian passports issued by authorities in Damascus.

Al Mustaqbal said the two men confirmed that they were part of the 200-strong terrorist group that came to Lebanon from Damascus. The detainees admitted that 150 of them were deployed at what they called "Samed" position in Beddawi, and another 50 at the "Samed" position in Beirut's Borj al-Barajneh refugee camp.

It said the investigation also showed that the terrorist group was "suddenly renamed Fatah-Islam," which is led by Mahmoud Kolaghassi, a prominent Syrian intelligent agent.

It said Fatah-Uprising was quick to launch a campaign saying its posts have been "taken up" and that al-Emleh had nothing to do with them anymore.

Saad Hariri predicts that he and Jumblatt are next targets

Parliament's majority leader Saad Hariri has said that he expected Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and himself to be next in line for assassination after Pierre Gemayel's murder last week.

Hariri, in an interview with the Egyptian Al-Ahram daily Tuesday, said "the series of assassinations are ongoing and now it's the turn of two: Walid Jumblatt and Saad Hariri."

The son of slain ex-Premier Rafik Hariri also reiterated that the Syrian intelligence was behind his father's murder in a February 2005 suicide truck bombing on the Beirut seafront.

Lebanon has been rocked by a series of assassinations, murder attempts and bombings since October 2004. Anti-Syrian politicians have been the targets of such attacks, the latest of which was the killing of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel.

About Hezbollah, Hariri told the newspaper that since the Shiite group is backed by Iran its hands are shackled and cannot make its own decisions.

In a separate interview with Canadian television, Hariri said that Syria fears the international tribunal that will be set up to try his father's suspected assassins because the investigation into the murder has implicated Syrian officials. Damascus denies the charge.

"I understand the edginess of the Syrian regime. But what I don't understand is the protection that some Lebanese provide it," he said.

"Why are they obstructing the international court? Why are they protecting the criminals?" Hariri wondered.

The anti-Syrian parliamentary majority accuses Hezbollah and its allies of hampering efforts to set up the court. Early November, six pro-Syrian cabinet ministers resigned two days before an extraordinary cabinet session approved the tribunal.

Hariri also urged Syria to stop meddling in Lebanon's internal affairs.

"Syria is not playing a positive role, neither in Iraq nor in Lebanon. I think Syria has to change its behavior and accept the fact that both Lebanon and Iraq are independent countries. It has to stop its interference in its neighbors' affairs," he said.

Hariri slammed Syrian protégé President Emile Lahoud, saying he is protecting the Assad regime rather than working for Lebanon's good.

"All he cares for is Syria," Hariri said about the president whose term was extended for three years in 2004 under Syrian pressure.

"There are other parties who put Iran's interest before Lebanon's interest," Hariri added, in a clear reference to Hezbollah which is accused of receiving weapons and funding from Tehran.

Asked if he thought Lebanon would witness another civil war, Hariri said "The Lebanese people do not want civil war. I believe Syria and Israel are the ones who want civil war in Lebanon."

He also urged Lebanon's top rival leaders to return to the negotiation table to solve the current political impasse after roundtable discussions in parliament collapsed earlier this month over a dispute on the international tribunal and demands by Hezbollah and its allies for a the formation of a national unity government.

Picture: A poster of Syrian presidet Bashar Assad that reads" Shove your civil war" was burnt during the funeral of former Lebanon's minister of Industry Pierre Gemayel. Syria was accused of being behind his murder , but denied any involvement.

Source: Naharnet, Ya Libnan