Wide Condemnation to Dahyieh Terrorist Blast

Local Editor

Once again, terrorism strikes in the heart of Dahyieh [The Southern Suburb of Beirut]. The explosion that claimed the lives of more than 20 martyrs and hundreds of wounded led to a series from condemnations.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said the criminal car bomb attack was a "terrorist act" that bore the fingerprints of "Israel", seeking to shake Lebanon's stability and the steadfastness of Lebanon.

"This is a criminal act that bears the fingerprints of terrorism and "Israel" and is aimed to destabilize Lebanon and deal a blow to the resilience of the Lebanese," Suleiman said.

Similarly, House Speaker denounced the terrorist bombing. He further stressed that the bomb carries the "Israeli" fingerprints.
He also urged the Lebanese to unite in the face of looming dangers.
"This crime only serves the Israeli enemy that is working on dealing a blow to the components of national unity in Lebanon," Berri added.

For his part, head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun said "extremist rhetoric" adopted by the majority of Lebanese groups stood behind the attack. "No one is innocent," Aoun said.
He also condoled the families of the martyrs, wishing a speedy recovery for the wounded.
The caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati issued an administrative memorandum on Thursday evening, declaring a state of National Mourning on Friday over the loss of innocent victims in the wake of the explosion.

Moreover, he declared that the Higher Defense Council will convene to discuss the terrorist incident.
In parallel, Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam condemned the bomb attack as a "barbaric act," urging the Lebanese citizens and political forces to "show solidarity and national unity to fend off those who want to tamper with the country's security."

Salam called on all political forces to "rise above the disputes," saying it is "the only real response to such terrorist acts."
"Serious efforts must be exerted to form the cabinet and we don't want a confrontational cabinet but rather a national interest cabinet," he stated.
On the same level, the Head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt condemned the Roweis explosion, accusing "Israel" of being behind such an explosion that targets Lebanon, as a whole.

"Such a terrorist sabotage act targets the Lebanese altogether, and Israel is the sole benefiting side of today's blast," said Jumblatt, speaking in an interview to Al-Manar TV Station on Thursday evening.

Jumblatt called for working humbly on a joint dialogue formula and a national unity government to avoid dragging the country into Syrian and Iraqi furnace; as well as the dangerous threats of discord and destruction.
MP Saad Hariri condemned the attack and called on the Lebanese not to be dragged to strife.
Hariri described the suburbs explosion as a "horrific crime" that targeted innocent civilians in the southern suburbs.
"The blast is part of a terrorist scheme that aims to sow strife and evil across Lebanon which is grappling to stay at bay from the crisis in the region," Hariri said in a statement released by his media office.

Head of the Future Parliamentary bloc former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora also condemned the attack saying he felt "anger and compassion" for the victims.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said attacks on any specific region in Lebanon were tantamount to an attack on Lebanon as a whole.

He called on security forces to exert necessary efforts to uncover perpetrators.
Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi "strongly condemned" the blast on the southern suburbs and passed on condolences to the victims' families.

Source: Al-Ahed News