BEIRUT, March 19: The Lebanese crisis took an ominous turn on Saturday as the president scrapped plans to attend the Arab summit after a bomb blast in a Christian neighbourhood revived fears of sectarian violence. With political tension rising, 11 people were injured shortly after midnight when a bomb exploded beneath a car in the Jdeide suburb, causing major damage, police said. Citing “exceptional circumstances”, pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud pleaded for dialogue between the country’s anti-Syrian opposition and parties sympathetic to Damascus, a step he said was critical in order to “protect Lebanon”. Mr Lahoud’s office later announced that he would not attend the two-day Arab summit starting in Algiers on Tuesday “because of the situation” in the country. The Lebanese army warned against “further provocation” and vowed to crack down on “anyone who threatens security or provokes the people”.

Political figures too were quick to react.

Opposition leader and MP Walid Jumblatt predicted “there will be other attacks and political assassinations if the heads of the intelligence services and their chief, Lahoud, are not sacked”.

The head of the Hezbollah movement, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, described the blast as “a very dangerous incident”.

He said “someone wants to increase tension and instability,” adding that “Israel is the beneficiary.” But he stressed that he was not levelling any “premature accusations”. Sheikh Nasrallah also backed Mr Lahoud’s appeal for dialogue.—AFP