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Beirut protests camping against western government { December 5 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1804140.htm http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200612/s1804140.htm Last Update: Tuesday, December 5, 2006. 9:26am (AEDT) Lebanese army increases forces in tense Beirut Lebanon's army deployed more soldiers in Beirut after the killing of a pro-Syrian Shiite Muslim demonstrator raised fears anti-government protests could turn into sectarian violence. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa warned the crisis could worsen and indicated he had discussed ideas for a solution with Lebanese officials during a 24-hour visit to Beirut. Security sources say the military increased its forces in Sunni districts that Shiite protesters drive through to get to central Beirut where the Hezbollah-led opposition is holding a sit-in to try to topple the Western-backed government. These districts saw clashes between residents and protesters on Sunday - from stone-throwing to fights with knives. In the most serious incident, gunmen fired assault rifles at a group of protesters in a Sunni neighbourhood, a stronghold for the anti-Syrian majority coalition, killing one man. The body of Ahmed Mahmoud was brought to the protest site, where thousands of anti-government demonstrators read Koranic verses over a coffin wrapped in a Lebanese flag. Mass funeral The opposition plans a mass funeral on Tuesday local time and says the death would not halt its drive to unseat the Government. "Siniora out, we want a free government," the crowd chanted during a night rally at the tent camp, referring to the Western-backed Sunni Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora. A few thousand soldiers and police were deployed around Beirut on the fourth day of the protests. Troops sat atop armoured vehicles at road junctions. Many politicians and observers have said the crisis could spill over into sectarian strife in a country that has gone through two civil wars in the last 50 years. Lebanon's most senior Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah called for unity. "One of the most dangerous things is the devilish state of sectarian instigation by some political symbols ... which is making the political dispute open to sectarian sensitivities," the cleric said. The leader of the anti-Syrian majority coalition, Sunni Saad al-Hariri also urged calm and asked his supporters to ignore what he called provocations. - Reuters

Annan urges syria iran to aid lebanese { November 18 2006 } Army fears sectarian violence in lebanon { December 5 2006 } Beirut protests camping against western government { December 5 2006 } Bush warns syria iran after lebanon killing { October 2006 } Hezbollah gains power in lebanon after fighting { May 16 2008 } Hezbollah overruns west beirut { April 2008 } Hezbollah rebuilds beirut { November 18 2007 } Israel bombs beirut airport hezbollah tv { June 2006 } Lebanon shiites grapple with new feeling of power { December 10 2006 } Party of slain lebanese modeled after nazi party { October 2006 } Slain lebanese politician worked with fascists { November 21 2006 } US blocked plans to disarm hezbollah { September 25 2007 } Files Listed: 12

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