The head of the Independence Movement Michel Mouawad noted on Thursday that the latest developments in Lebanon are aimed at imposing Lebanon under the rule of Hizbullah’s arms and changing its identity by force.

He added during an Independence Movement iftar: “We reject the employment of Zgharta’s name in defending the criminal Syrian regime.”

Al-Meqdad clan on Friday announced that its military wing had kidnapped Abdullah al-Homsi, a spokesman for the so-called Syrian Revolution Coordination Committees, noting that it has formed a committee tasked with following up on the case of clan member Hassan al-Meqdad, who was abducted near Damascus on Tuesday.

The clan said Wednesday it kidnapped more than 20 Syrians and a Turkish national to try to secure Hassan’s release. The alleged Syrian rebel group that abducted Hassan had claimed that he is a Hizbullah sniper, but both Hizbullah and the clan have denied the claims.

Two people were killed on Friday in a family dispute in the town of Saida near the city of Zahle in the Bekaa.

The ongoing clash broke out between the Bedouin families of Au Jabal and al-Loues.

Hariri: Govt. Has Abandoned its Duties so All Forces Must Rise above Personal Interests to End Division

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri noted on Friday that Eid al-Fitr arrives in Lebanon this year as it is facing dangers that are threatening its sovereignty and security.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused on Friday the Syrian regime of being behind the recent instability in Lebanon, saying that it is “upset with the Lebanese government for its failure to properly support it during its crisis.”

He added during a press conference: “The Syrian regime is disappointed with President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati over the arrest of former minister and MP Michel Samaha.”

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Friday that the latest security incidents and kidnappings in Lebanon facilitate the spill over of the Syrian crisis to the country.

“The latest incidents in Lebanon facilitate the spill over of the Syrian crisis but we hope to find a solution to this situation,” Fabius said at Rafik Hariri International Airport following a two-day visit to Beirut.

Hizbullah has been able to maintain a strong network of agents in Canada who were able to purchase weapons on the open market and send them to Lebanon, a report published by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said.

“The group has built a significant pool of members, supporters and sympathizers in the country,” the think tank said.

Unknown assailants demanded on Friday a one-million-dollar ransom in exchange for the release of businessman Raja al-Zuhairi, the National News Agency reported on Friday.

According to NNA, the kidnappers contacted the father-in-law of al-Zuhairi demanding him to pay the ransom.

The United States has expressed deep concern on the Syrian civil war’s spill over into Lebanon and called on all sides to exercise restraint following a string of kidnappings.

“We are deeply concerned about spillover from the Syrian crisis that could impact on the stability, on the sovereignty of Lebanon, and we firmly condemn kidnapping as a tactic,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Thursday.

A Turkish man became the second foreigner to be kidnapped in Lebanon since al-Meqdad clan and another obscure group went on an abduction spree of Syrians and Turkish nationals on Wednesday to pressure the Free Syrian Army in releasing a member of the clan.

The National News Agency said Friday that Abd Basset Orssolane was abducted in the area of Choueifat near the Coca Cola factory.