Lebanese Mufti: World powers plots behind Lebanon blasts

Lebanese Mufti has blamed world superpowers for pushing Lebanon into a regional conflict.

“Superpowers insist on dragging Lebanon into the Arab fight because Lebanon and Jordan are the only countries which did not enter this [conflict],” Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, Lebanon’s grand mufti said during a visit to recent bombing sites in northern Lebanon.

Qabbani, said the recent bombings in southern Beirut in Hezbollah stronghold and Tripoli that left some 50 killed and five hundred injured were hatched by one party, but refused to name the party to avoid further violence.

“When they bombed Dahiyeh [southern suburbs], they thought they would turn Shiites against Sunnies and when they bombed the mosques in Tripoli they thought they would turn Tripoli residents against Shiites,” the cleric said.

The Mufti said that the hopes for inflaming sectarian conflict were dented under the wisdom of the people.

“But the wisdom of the people disappointed their hopes,” Qabbani said following the blasts.

His remarks came during a tour of the site of the twin bombings in Tripoli, north Lebanon earlier this week.

On the first day of Eid al-Fitr marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan Qabbani urged Sunni, Shia leaders to beef up unity and avoid violence.

“Beware of getting involved in discord between you or among fellow citizens, be they Muslims or Christians,” the grand Mufti said.

Qabbani’s remarks were also echoed by Islamic Movement Hezbollah after Friday’s Tripoli blasts in northern Lebanon.

The Islamic movement said there was a plot to pull Lebanon towards anarchy and destruction in line with plans of the Zionist enemy, and the recent blast was a part of it.

Hezbollah also called for wisdom among Lebanese groups and political leaders and invited everyone to not to let rumors and slanders destroy the country.