Hundreds of soldiers and police watched the students arrive at Beirut Arab University in a show of force meant to deter troublemakers. Campus security guards searched all students at the entrance and denied access to those without student IDs.

The clashes of Jan. 25, which quickly spread from the campus to the streets of Tarik el-Jadideh district and beyond, was the worst case of sectarian violence since the 1975-90 civil war. Muslim Sunnis fought Muslim Shiites with rocks, sticks and even guns, leaving four people dead and dozens injured. Scores of cars were trashed and some were set ablaze.

In the evening, the army imposed a rare nighttime curfew and leaders of both communities appealed to their supporters to withdraw from the streets.

Fearing more violence, the authorities took advantage of a Shiite religious holiday to close all schools and universities through Jan. 31. Only the Beirut Arab University and the state-run Lebanese University were ordered closed until Monday.

The head of student affairs at Beirut Arab University, Hassan Dalati, said that attendance on Monday was "almost normal and hopefully it will be a day just like any other." The university issued a statement warning students that it "will not allow its campus to be used in any internal Lebanese
Qassem Dirani, 22, an architecture student, said the atmosphere was "still charged" and that lecturers were repeatedly asking students not to discuss politics.

"I am trying to pretend that nothing happened, but it's hard. A lot of my colleagues are thinking of leaving the university and finishing their studies somewhere else," Dirani said.

At the Lebanese University, which was also closed following the unrest, attendance was "more than normal" Monday when it reopened, said the university's president, Zuheir Shukur.

There were no riots on the campus on Jan. 25, but the university was closed for 10 days because its students have a reputation for being highly involved in politics.

"We stressed the importance of saving the academic year," Shukur told The Associated Press, adding that he had urged students to leave their political feelings outside the university.

The universities reopened despite the stalemate between the government and the opposition, with mediation efforts failing to bridge the divide.

The Hezbollah-led opposition wants the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to resign to make way for a Cabinet in which Hezbollah and its allies would have a veto power.

Siniora, who is backed by parliamentary majority and the world community except Syria and Iran has refused to step down.

The tension pits Sunnis, who largely back the government, against Shiites, who are led by Hezbollah and its allies. Christians are divided between the two groups

Picture: A security officer, right, scans a Lebanese student with a hand-held metal detector as he entered the campus of the Beirut Arab University in Beirut, Lebanon Monday, Feb.5, 2007

Sources: AP, Ya Libnan