REPORT: Sidon worshippers reject speech of new Imam

 

The worshipers in Sidon rejected on Friday the speech delivered by the new Imam of Bilal Bin Rabah mosque Sheikh Mohammad Abou Zeid and left the mosque heading to the city’s al-Karama roundabout.         

Reports said the Imam had failed to mention Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir in his speech, thus triggering a wave of anger among the attenders of the sermon.   

The worshipers took to the streets to protest, where they attacked a number of reporters and prevented them from covering the events, leading the Lebanese Army to urge TV channels crews to leave the city immediately.         

The Friday prayers were held for the first time since the Abra clashes at the Bilal Bin Rabah mosque in the southern city of Sidon.    

The prayers were held amid intensive security measures in the vicinity of the mosque.           

In this context, Imam Sheikh Mohammad Abou Zeid is expected to deliver a speech.             

On another note, Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai is on a visit to the city where he will meet the head of the Future bloc MP Fouad Siniora, MP Bahia Hariri and the head of the Popular Nasserite Organization Osama Saad.

Fighting in Sidon city began Sunday (23 June) after troops arrested a follower of hardline Sunni cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir follower. The army says the cleric's supporters opened fire without provocation on an army checkpoint.

Official reports said at least 17 soldiers were killed and 50 were wounded in the fighting while more than 20 of al-Assir's supporters died in the battle, according to a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk to reporters.

 Al-Assir is a virulent critic of the powerful Shiite group Hezbollah group, which along with its allies dominates Lebanon's government.

He supports rebels fighting to oust Syria's President Bashar Assad. The 2 day fighting between troops and armed supporters of al-Assir have transformed the city, which had been largely spared the violence plaguing border areas near Syria, into a combat zone.


To watch the full LBCI report, please click on the video above.